Slovakia calls for amicable solution to Rohingya crisis to ensure return of refugees to Myanmar

Slovakia, the central European country that currently holds presidency of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), called for an amicable solution to Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis to ensure return of the refugees to their country.

“We place huge importance to issues of human rights and are aware of the seriousness of the Rohingya issue. We believe all stake-holders should find an amicable solution to the issue so that the refugees can go back to their home country”, Slovakian state secretary for Foreign and European affairs Lukas Parizek told HT in an interview.

He was in India for bilateral consultations, and held wide-ranging discussions with minister of state for external affairs V K Singh.

When asked whether his country supports Indian position on not letting Rohingyas into the country on grounds of national security, he said “We understand Indian position. National security is an important issue as well. Then there are issues related to a humanitarian crisis. The fact remains no country will be able to absorb and keep a large number of refugees for long. Better the issue is sorted out so that the refugees can go back to their country of origin”.

According to a UN estimate more than 500,000 Rohingya refugees have fled across the border to Bangladesh since violence began in the Rakhain state on August 25. It yet again brought to the forefront the nationality issue of one of the most persecuted communities in the world.

India supported the discussion in the UNGA on the ‘responsibility to protect’ and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity as the world body takes up the issue after 12 years against the backdrop of a looming crisis in South Asia over the Rohingya issue, among others.

India has agreed for the discussion on the understanding that there won’t be any adoption of the resolution by the UNGA.

New Delhi also hopes that “normative concepts at stake require careful deliberation”.

As many as 113 countries, including India, voted in its favour while 21 others, including Pakistan, Iran and Cuba, opposed the idea of having a debate, with many of them challenging the definitional and political aspects of these issues.

“Slovakia wants the issue to be discussed by the UN”, Parizek said, adding his country supports India’s demand for more concrete measures by the UN on the issue of terrorism. “No country is immune to the threat of terrorism and countries should come together for putting in place stronger measures to deal with this threat,” he said

Dwelling on the bilateral relationship, the visiting dignitary said Slovakia is keen on stepping up defence ties with India, especially in selling ammunition to India. “We are looking at best ways to go about it”, Parizek said.