Turkish FM discusses Rohingya with counterparts

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) – Turkey’s foreign minister on Monday discussed the plight of Rohingya Muslims with his British and French counterparts in New York.

Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Twitter that the foreign ministers "evaluated" the state of Rohingya Muslims, stressing on the microblogging site that "humanitarian aid must be increased."

His talks with Jeremy Hunt and Jean-Yves Le Drian came on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings.

Cavusoglu said Rohingya Muslims' voluntary and safe return from Bangladesh to Myanmar must be secured.

Since Aug. 25, 2017, nearly 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state forces, according to a report by the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).

Amnesty International had said more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly children and women, fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community since August 2017.

The Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

Cavusoglu also held talks with the Secretary General of Council of Europe, Secretary General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation, foreign ministers of Moldova, Japan and Colombia, he said on Twitter.