Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s State Counsellor, has asked for countries in the region to understand the complexities of the issue surrounding problems in Rakhine State, thewire.ni reported on 17 October.
Speaking at the BIMSTEC meeting in Goa, India she said, “We are ready to admit the difficulties that we have to face and we would like our friends and neighbours across the world to recognise the complexities of the situation that is a great challenge not just to our country but to peace and stability throughout the region.”
She was also reported as saying that, “Our region is confronted by numerous challenges including security threats including rising terrorism, violent extremism, climate change, natural and man-made disasters and even the danger of nuclear proliferation,” Suu Kyi said at the roundtable meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
She was referring to recent attack on Myanmar border police earlier this month by alleged Rohingya militants who had apparently been recruited and led by Islamists trained in Pakistan.On October 9, militants targeted three Myanmar border posts along the border with Bangladesh and killed around nine soldiers.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia. These are: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.
BIMSTEC has fourteen priority sectors cover all areas of cooperation. Myanmar is responsible for Energy and Agriculture.
