Japan offers to mediate on Rohingya repatriation issue

Japan has offered to mediate between Bangladesh and Myanmar for early repatriation of the Rohingyas, said Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday after meeting his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono in Dhaka.

Both the countries agreed that Myanmar needs to take necessary steps for creating conducive environment for ensuring safe, voluntary and dignified return of the Rohingyas. He said Bangladesh has conveyed to Japan that prolonged Rohingya crisis could lead to spread of extremism in the region.Dr Momen also said that Bangladesh agrees with the demand of Rohingya refugees about safety, security and free mobility in Myanmar after their return but it does not want to get into citizenship issue.

The Japanese foreign Minister said that the citizenship of Rohingyas was a delicate issue and should be dealt with on a case to case issue.

Earlier during the visit of a delegation led by the Foreign Secretary of Myanmar to Rohingya refugee camps on Sunday to discuss repatriation, the Rohingya representatives had said that they wanted citizenship, safety and security as preconditions for their return to Rakhine province in Myanmar.