BEIJING, Nov 20 (Agencies): China said Monday that Myanmar and Bangladesh have backed its plan to resolve Rohingya crisis.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi presented a "three-phase solution" during visits to Bangladesh last week and Myanmar this weekend.
The Chinese plan starts with a ceasefire in Myanmar's Rakhine state "so that local residents can no longer be displaced".
It then moves to calls for the international community to encourage Myanmar and Bangladesh to keep up talks to find a "feasible solution" after the two nations reached an initial agreement on the repatriation of refugees.
The final phase would involve finding a long-term solution focused on poverty alleviation.
Meanwhile, the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Monday hailed "extremely encouraging" talks with Aung San Suu Kyi on the Rohingya crisis, welcoming steps towards the repatriation of Muslims driven from Myanmar into Bangladesh.
However, Suu Kyi was silent about the protracted Rohingya crisis while she delivering her speech at the inaugural session of the two-day 13th ASEM Foreign Ministers meeting at Myanmar International Convention Centre.
Suu Kyi said the world is facing instability and conflict in part because illegal immigration spreads terrorism that comes as her country is accused of violently pushing out hundreds of thousands of unwanted Rohingya Muslims.
Though Suu Kyi did not directly mention the Rohingya exodus in her speech but her speech highlighted the views of many in Myanmar who see the Rohingya as illegal immigrants and blame the population for terrorist acts.
Suu Kyi said conflicts around the world gave rise to new threats and emergencies, citing how illegal immigration spread "terrorism and violent extremism, social disharmony and even the threat of nuclear war."
European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini, among others, addressed the opening session.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali is leading Bangladesh delegation.
Mogherini on Monday expressed her hope that Bangladesh and Myanmar would reach a decision to sign MoU and agreement on safe repatriation of Rohingyas from Bangladesh to their homeland Myanmar.
"There is a real possibility Myanmar and Bangladesh reaching a MoU and an agreement for the safe repatriation of refugees (Rohingyas)," she told a small group of reporters including UNB correspondent after photo session with ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Foreign Ministers.
She said the EU is supporting this process and will stand ready to accompany this process in the coming week.
In the morning the EU top diplomat had informal meetings with some ministers on the situation in Rakhine State.
"That was extremely encouraging. We discussed the need to start implementing the Annan Commission Report," she said adding that she is very encouraged by "willingness and readiness" of the Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi going that direction.
The European Union and its Member States are delivering more than half of the total financial support to the Rohingyas, and they said they will continue to support them, as well as the government of Bangladesh and the people of Bangladesh.
"It is, I think, a responsibility of the authorities to find solutions. Again, the international community has indicated some of the solutions, especially the Kofi Annan plan that Aung San Suu Kyi has committed to implement, and we are there to support her in doing this," said the EU top diplomat during her Bangladesh visit prior coming to Myanmar.
The Bangladesh government is now negotiating with the Myanmar government on repatriation issue.
The EU is trying to help the two countries to find a sustainable solution.
Deadly attacks by Rohingya militants on August 25 sparked a massive backlash from Myanmar's security forces that the UN says may amount to "ethnic cleansing".
Beijing, which supported the military junta that ruled Myanmar for decades, has backed the country's current government during the crisis.
"This proposal was approved in Bangladesh by Bangladesh leaders. Sunday, it also won approval from Myanmar leaders," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news briefing.
"We hope that Foreign Minister Wang Yi's proposal will not only help to resolve the current Rohingya crisis, but also more importantly will contribute to fundamentally addressing the issue," Lu said.
Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed in principle to begin repatriation of the Rohingya but are still tussling over the details.
Wang was still in Myanmar on Monday to participate in a meeting of Asian and European foreign ministers.
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