Sushma Swaraj meets Myanmar’s State Counsellor Suu Kyi, discusses bilateral ties

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations across different sectors.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj met on Friday Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations across different sectors.

Swaraj arrived here on Thursday on a two-day visit for talks with the country’s top leadership on key bilateral and regional issues, including the Rohingya refugee crisis.

“Neighbourhood First! EAM @SushmaSwaraj met the State Counsellor and Foreign Minister of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi on the 2nd day of her visit to Myanmar. Discussion focused on strengthening our bilateral relations across different sectors,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

She called on Myanmar President U Win Myint on Thursday.

An estimated 7,00,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar’s Rakhine State since August last year after large-scale violence following a military crackdown. The exodus of refugees in large numbers has resulted in a major crisis in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Suu Kyi has faced intense international scrutiny for her response to the exodus, which the UN has called “ethnic cleansing.”

According to reports, Swaraj also met the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar armed forces General Min Aung Hlaing.