"I will raise the ethnic Rohingya issue which has drawn wide public attention in Indonesia although we know it is a communal conflict in that country," Yudhoyono said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he would raise the sensitive ethnic issue of Muslim Rohingya community in talks with Myanmar President U Thein Sein.

"I will raise the ethnic Rohingya issue which has drawn wide public attention in Indonesia although we know it is a communal conflict in that country," Yudhoyono said before departing on Monday from the Halim Perdanakusuma airport for Singapore to start his three-country tour which would also bring to Myanmar and Brunei Darusalam.

He said Indonesia, the world largest Muslim country, has hoped that Myanmar could find a solution to the Rohinya and handle it fairly and peacefully.

"Indonesia wants to lend help to settle the communal conflict with all sincerity," he said.

The conflict has forced many Rohingya people to flee that country. Some of the refugees are held by the Indonesian immigration authorities after they were found stranded in the Indonesian waters.

Yudhoyono will also discuss expansion of cooperation between the two countries in various fields including in trade, investment and capacity building.

Yudhono will visit Myanmar from April 23 to 24 after a visit to Singapore.

From Myanmar he would proceed to Brunei to attend an ASEAN summit meeting.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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