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Putin warns against human rights violations in Myanmar

The situation in Myanmar’s state of Rakhine escalated on August 25

MOSCOW, October 3. /TASS/. Russia calls on all sides of the Myanmar ethno-confessional conflict to show restraint and search for political solution to the problem, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during presentation of credentials by new foreign ambassadors to Russia, including Myanmar Ambassador to Russia Ko Ko Shein.

Putin expressed confidence in the prospects of successful cooperation between Russia and Myanmar and concerns over upsurge of ethno-confessional tensions in some of this country’s regions. "We call on all parties to show restraint. Solution to such difficult problems should be searched for in the sphere of political cooperation and by political means, without human rights violations, as we know from our own experience as well," the Russian leader stressed.

The situation in Myanmar’s state of Rakhine inhabited by Muslims of the Rohingya nationality escalated on August 25 when hundreds of militants from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army attacked 30 police posts. After that, the republic’s security forces started a military operation in the region. According to latest information, more than 400 people were killed in the clashes and more than 520,000 fled to neighboring Bangladesh.

The UN Security Council held a public meeting on the situation in Myanmar last Thursday for the first time since 2009. Speaking at the meeting, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the situation in the Rakhine State had spiraled into the "humanitarian and human rights nightmare" and needs urgent actions from the international community.