Dhaka, Nov 3 (bdnews24.com) – The Myanmar ambassador was summoned to the foreign office for a second day on Monday to be told that Dhaka would mount diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute over Yangon's oil and gas exploration in the Bay.
Foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury made it clear that Bangladesh "must secure its interests in the Bay of Bengal".
He said a Bangladesh delegation, led by foreign secretary Md Touhid Hossain, will fly to Myanmar as early as Wednesday to discuss the ongoing tussle over the exploration in a disputed area of the Bay.
A 'technical team' from Myanmar, headed by a deputy minister, would visit Dhaka to discuss the long-disputed sea boundary demarcations on Nov 16 to 17, he added.
"We have come to know that some Myanmar vessels have entered into waters in the Bay and have been carrying out oil and gas exploration activities in an area we claim as territory," Iftekhar told reporters after talks with Myanmar ambassador U Phae Thann Oo at the foreign ministry.
"The foreign secretary called the ambassador to his office yesterday and handed over a strong protest letter over the exploration activities."
"Today, I summoned him again and reiterated Bangladesh's position on this issue. I have told the ambassador that we must protect our interests," the adviser said.
Iftekhar said the dispute must be settled immediately.
"We want to resolve the dispute diplomatically and through dialogue. As a peace-loving country, Bangladesh does not want to get involved in any sort of conflict with Myanmar," he said terming Myanmar "a very close friend" of Bangladesh.
According to their last maritime border talks in Dhaka, the Dhaka and Yangon agreed that neither side would carry out exploration work in the disputed waters of the Bay.
On the ambassador's response, the adviser said Myanmar claimed that the area belonged to them.
"I hope, our initiative will settle the dispute," said Iftekhar.
"The Myanmar authorities have said they will place more importance on redrawing the sea boundaries at the next demarcation talks scheduled for October 16 and 17 in Dhaka".
Earlier Monday, the foreign adviser chaired an inter-ministerial meeting at his ministry to discuss Bangladesh-Myanmar bilateral relations and the implication of last month's recent visit by Myanmar Vice Senior Gen Maung Aye.
Bangladesh rushed a naval patrol to the disputed waters of the Bay of Bengal where Myanmar has begun oil and gas exploration activities, foreign ministry officials said Sunday.
Foreign ministry officials say Myanmar sent vessels and exploration equipment along with engineers within the past few days to carry out the exploration works, some 60 nautical miles off Saint Martin's Island.
The area is claimed by both Bangladesh and Myanmar. But Myanmar has awarded a contract of exploration work to a South Korean company, ministry officials confirmed to bdnews24.com.
Bangladesh and Myanmar have been holding on-off talks for years to demarcate their borders in the Bay of Bengal, considered rich in gas reserves.
Myanmar is under UN obligation to draw its sea boundary by middle of 2009, while Bangladesh will have to demarcate her maritime territory by 2011.
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