Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono on Monday stressed the need for international support for the Myanmar government so it can accelerate the repatriation of Rohingya Muslims who have fled to Bangladesh to escape a military crackdown.
Kono, speaking at a meeting on the Rohingya refugee crisis on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, also said the international community needs to extend assistance, including financial support, to Bangladesh following its acceptance of the refugees, Japan's Foreign Ministry said.
"Myanmar's democratization process has just begun so we need to prevent a reversal of it and international support is needed," Kono told reporters after the high-level meeting.
"We hope that a transparent and credible probe will be conducted and reported" by Myanmar's independent commission, Kono said.
During the same meeting, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley pledged $185 million worth of food, water, health care and other critical aid.
Since August last year when the latest round of violence broke out, more than 720,000 Rohingya have fled from Myanmar's Rakhine State to Bangladesh, seeking to escape a harsh crackdown launched by the Myanmar military.
Source: mainichi.jp
