The Myanmar government on Tuesday said they are ready to begin the verification and repatriation of its nationals crossed over to Bangladesh.
Myanmar Union Minister for the Office of the State Counsellor Kyaw Tint Swe reiterated Myanmar’s position on Monday, a commitment made by Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on September 19.
It was recalled that in accordance with the agreed criteria set out in the Joint Statement between Foreign Ministers of Myanmar and Bangladesh on 28 April 1992, a total of 236,495 people of 46,993 households had been repatriated from Bangladesh to Myanmar from September 1992 until July 2005, according to office of the State Counsellor.
The Union Minister also referred to the agreement made at the senior officials meeting between Myanmar and Bangladesh held in Yangon on January 14, 2000, in which both sides agreed that, in the case of the repatriation of split families and their left behind family members, this process could be carried out on the presentation of legal documents certified by the Government of Bangladesh.
The Union Minister expressed his firm conviction that issues arising between two neighbours can be resolved bilaterally, in an amicable manner, taking into consideration the national interests of both countries.
At the invitation of Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Tint Swe visited Dhaka and a meeting with Bangladesh delegation on Monday.
The Myanmar minister was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kyaw Zeya.
The two ministers exchanged views on how to resolve the issue of residents from the Rakhine State who have recently crossed over to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister reiterated the desire of Bangladesh to maintain the traditional friendship between the two neighbouring countries and expressed its position that ARSA is regarded as a common enemy of both Myanmar and Bangladesh and stressed its policy of zero tolerance against terrorism.
The Union Minister invited Mahmood Ali to visit Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, for taking forward arrangements with regard to the security of the border, and the verification of those refugees who wish to return to Myanmar according to the criteria agreed to in the Joint Statement of April 1992.
