India’s Sushma discusses Rohingya refugee return with Myanmar’s Myint, Suu Kyi

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has discussed the issue of Rohingya repatriation with President U Win Myint, and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi during her visit to Myanmar.

She also met Commander in Chief of the Myanmar Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the Indian external affairs ministry said on Friday after the end of the two-day visit.

Swaraj underlined the need for “safe, speedy and sustainable return” of displaced persons to Rakhine State.

India is implementing a raft of development projects in the Rakhine State from where Rohingya refugees fled into Bangladesh.

She reiterated her government’s readiness and commitment to help the Burmese government in addressing issues related to Rakhine State.

“She welcomed [the government of Myanmar’s] continued commitment to implementing the Rakhine Advisory Commission’s recommendations and noted that, under the aegis of the bilateral Rakhine State Development Programme, India was already in the implementation stages of various projects that would respond to the needs of different sections of the Rakhine State population,” the ministry said in a statement.

The first major project is the construction of prefabricated housing in Rakhine State to meet the needs of displaced persons.

During the bilateral meetings, boundary and border-related issues, peace and security matters, developments in the Rakhine State including return of displaced persons, India’s development assistance to Myanmar, ongoing projects, and other issues of mutual interest were discussed.

Seven agreements or MoUs were signed during the visit.

Those include: (i) Agreement on Land Border Crossing, (ii) MoU on Restoration and Preservation of Earthquake Damaged Pagodas in Bagan, (iii) MoU on assistance to the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee, (iv) MoU on Training of Myanmar Foreign Service Officers, (v) MoU on Setting up Industrial Training Centre (ITC) at Monywa, (vi) MoU on ITC at Thaton and (vii) Exchange of Letters on extending a maintenance contract for ITC Myingyan.

New Delhi said the Agreement on Land Border Crossing is a landmark in bilateral relations as it will enable people from both countries to cross the land border with passport and visa, including for accessing health and education services, pilgrimage and tourism.

“The MoU on restoration of pagodas at Bagan underlines the enduring cultural and historical links between the two countries.”

The external affairs minister expressed her gratitude to the government of Myanmar for its hospitality and noted that “the warm reception and the discussions underlined the exceptionally close and friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries”.