Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia hold talks on Rohingya-solutions

PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA, May 20 (TNA) - Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn is visiting Malaysia to hold talks on solutions to Rohingya-related problems. After his arrival in Malaysia on Wednesday morning, General Tanasak met with the Malaysian and Indonesian Foreign Ministers, Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and Retno Marsudi, in Putrajaya, Malaysia’s administrative capital, for their trilateral talks on solutions to issues related to irregular migration in the Indian Ocean, focused on Rohingya migrants. Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sek Wannamethee, who is also Director-General of the ministry's Department of Information, told journalists that the trilateral discussion is aimed to exchange information and views to jointly find solutions to Rohingya boat people in the three neighboring countries' territorial waters. The spokesman said Thailand views that addressing Rohingya-related problems need regional cooperation based on humanitarian principles and joint responsibility of concerned parties internationally. The Thai deputy prime minister and foreign minister's ongoing visit to Malaysia is at the invitation of the Malaysian foreign minister. Meanwhile, Deputy Defence Minister and Army Chief General Udomdej Sitabutr stressed that only temporary shelters will be provided for Rohingya migrants in Thailand. General Udomdej told reporters that the shelters for Rohingya migrants will be different from nine existing refugee camps in the country, noting that the location of the temporary shelters for Rohingya migrants has not yet been finalized and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, not the Thai military, will supervise the Rohingya migrants. The deputy defence minister and army chief insisted that Thailand has handled Rohingya-related issues based on the humanitarian basis, but the Thai Kingdom is a transit point toward third countries, calling on countries which have sufficient resources and are following up Rohingya-related issues to sympathize with Thailand for the heavy burden and help solve the problems by accepting Rohingya migrants. Thailand will host an international meeting on irregular migration in the Indian Ocean on May 29, in which representatives of about 17 countries and relevant international organizations will participate. (TNA)