FM to update Dhaka diplomats of Security Council members before UN chief’s Myanmar briefing

Bangladesh will brief the Dhaka-based diplomats of the Security Council member countries ahead of the UN secretary-general’s briefing on Thursday.

Nurul Islam Hasibbdnews24.com
Published : 26 Sept 2017, 04:40 PM
Updated : 26 Sept 2017, 04:40 PM

Antonio Guterres will publicly brief the Security Council on the violence in Myanmar, which he has described as ethnic cleansing, after seven countries on the 15-member body requested the meeting.

Sweden, the United States, Britain, France, Egypt, Senegal, and Kazakhstan had requested the meeting. In preparation for Thursday's public meeting, the council will be briefed behind closed doors on Tuesday by UN political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman, Reuters reported.

A senior official at the foreign ministry told bdnews24.com that Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali will brief nine diplomats on Wednesday at the State Guesthouse Meghna.

Apart from five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the UK and the US -- there are ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.

Bolivia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Senegal, Sweden, Ukraine, and Uruguay are those non-permanent members.

Of them, the UK, the US, France, China, Russia, Sweden, Egypt, Italy, and Japan have missions in Dhaka.

Some 480,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar since Aug 25, when attacks by Rohingya militants triggered a military crackdown.

US President Donald Trump wants the UN Security Council to take "strong and swift action" to end the violence, Vice President Mike Pence said last Wednesday.

The council has already met twice behind closed doors since the Rohingya crisis began and earlier this month, it issued an informal statement to the press condemning the situation and urging Myanmar authorities to end the violence.

Diplomats told Reuters that the Security Council could consider adopting a formal statement if the situation does not improve, but China and Russia are unlikely to agree to stronger action that would require the adoption of a resolution they could veto.

A Security Council resolution would need nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, Britain and France.

Myanmar said earlier this month it was negotiating with veto powers China and Russia to ensure Myanmar would be protected from any Security Council action.

However, diplomats in Dhaka believe that China has shifted its position as it allowed the issue to be discussed in the Security Council and did not veto the statement the council issued before, first in eight years.

“Every country has its own domestic compulsion. And countries like us always want to stay away from conflicts of other countries. They do not want to get involved. This is what happened in case of China,” a diplomat, preferring anonymity, told bdnews24.com.

“China used to veto any Security Council move to put the Myanmar issue on agenda. Now they allow this to happen. So, naturally, we can consider it as a shift in their policy.”

The diplomat also referred to Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Ma Mingqiang’s statement on Monday when he expressed “heartfelt sympathy” for the refugees in Cox’s Bazar.

He said: “We sincerely hope this issue will be settled as soon as possible and China is willing to play a constructive role to this end.”

Mingqiang expressed China’s willingness to play “constructive role” in the crisis. China is also sending relief.