Japan will press for Rohingya repatriation

Visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono today said he will press Myanmar for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh in Asean summit.

"We came to know the refugees have been victims of barbaric attack, killing and repression carried out by Myanmar's army in the Rakhine state," he said.

Kono was speaking after visiting Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar's Kutupalong area. He was among four top foreign delegates who visited there today.

The minister said Japan will "strongly place" the issue of immediate refugee repatriation in the Asean summit scheduled to be held in Myanmar on November 20.

The foreign delegates talked to many Rohingya refugees and inspected the progress of the health services initiated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

The other dignitaries who visited Kutupalong were High Representative of the EU, Federica Mogherini, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, and Sweden Foreign Minister Margot Wallström.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, its State Minister M Shahriar Alam and Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque and others also accompanied them.