BANGKOK (Sputnik) – Myanmar rejected Bangladesh's initiative to create a safe zone in Myanmar’s border area to ensure the safety of Rohingya refugees fleeing violence, U Zaw Htay, the director general of the State Counsellor Office told the Myanmar Times newspaper on Thursday.
The proposal was sent by Bangladesh last week via the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
"The government rejects the plan to create a safety zone," the official said adding that such zone, if created, would fall under the international control.
In late August, insurgents of Rohingya origin attacked security posts in the state of Rakhine. The attacks prompted a violent response by Myanmar's authorities, resulting in clashes and the death of hundreds of people while forcing thousands of others to flee to Bangladesh. The violence was condemned by many countries, including Russia.