‘US working to solve Rohingya crisis thru diplomatic efforts’

Visiting US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas A Shannon today said they are working to resolve the Rohingya crisis through diplomatic efforts.

Shannon said this in response to a query from a journalist during a press briefing on imposing US sanction or any restrictive measures on Myanmar if it does not take back their nationals who fled persecution by their own security forces in state of Rakhine.

Also READ: US mulls sanctions on Myanmar

"Our efforts are not to punish but to solve the problem," he said adding that the US is working with Bangladesh government and other international organisations to address the ongoing Rohingya refugee influx.

On October 23, the US State Department said it is exploring scopes to impose sanctions against Myanmar.

READ more: Pretence won't work, Canadian envoy tells Suu Kyi

Since August 25, over 607,000 Rohingya refugees were forced to leave their home and several thousands were killed in the violence in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.

Thousands still are crossing the border and taking refuge in Bangladesh on a daily basis.

The US envoy conveyed his country's high appreciation on the generosity that the government and people of Bangladesh are showing by hosting over 607,000 Rohingya refugees. 

Shanon who arrived early this morning met journalists around 2:40pm after participating in the Sixth US-Bangladesh Partnership Dialogue at State Guest House Padma in Dhaka.

He led the US delegation while Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque led the Bangladesh delegation at the partnership dialogue.

Shannon will leave Dhaka tomorrow.     

"I reiterated the alarm expressed by officials at the highest levels of the U.S. government including President Trump, Vice President Pence and Secretary Tillerson, regarding the scale of the atrocities that are being reported in northern Rakhine State," quoting Shanon reads a press release. 

US and Bangladesh collaborate on many important issues and share a long history and cooperation and a vision for a tolerant democratic Bangladesh that serves as a bridge for commerce between north and southeast Asia, he said