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Asia migrants: Bangkok meeting to debate crisis Myanmar refuses sole blame for Asia migrant crisis
(about 3 hours later)
A regional conference is under way in the Thai capital Bangkok to discuss possible solutions to the South East Asia migrant crisis. Myanmar has refused to be singled out for blame for the Asia migrant crisis at a conference of the regional grouping Asean in Bangkok.
The talks include member states from the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) as well as representatives from the US and the UN. Delegates said the situation was at an alarming level. Representatives of the US and UN are also at the meeting.
Bangladesh and Myanmar have seen an exodus of people fleeing south by boat to Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Thousands of people have fled Bangladesh and Myanmar by boat, heading south to Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Thousands are thought to be stranded at sea in abandoned boats. The UN estimates about 2,600 migrants are still stranded out at sea.
Most are economic migrants from Bangladesh and Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar - also known as Burma.Most are economic migrants from Bangladesh and Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar - also known as Burma.
In his opening remarks, Thailand's Foreign Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn said "the influx of irregular migrants... has reached alarming levels" and an urgent and united response was needed. The crisis began earlier this year when Thailand cracked down on overland migrant routes, forcing people smugglers to use sea routes instead.
Thailand has agreed to allow US surveillance planes to fly from its territory to find boats carrying migrants adrift in the ocean, according to Reuters news agency. 'No finger-pointing'
Mr Patimapragorn added that "the root causes that motivated these people to leave must also be addressed", in comments apparently directed at Myanmar and Bangladesh. Myanmar's foreign ministry chief Htin Lynn said his country would co-operate in dealing with human trafficking.
The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says it was difficult to get Myanmar to participate in the talks, and the delegation has threatened to walk out if the word Rohingya is mentioned. But he also told delegates that on "this issue of illegal migration of boat people, you cannot single out my country.
But the fact that Myanmar officials are in Bangkok engaging in multilateral discussions for the first time on this issue is a step forward, our correspondent adds. "Finger-pointing will not serve any purpose. It will take us nowhere."
In his opening remarks, Thai Foreign Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn said "the influx of irregular migrants... has reached alarming levels".
He added that "the root causes that motivated these people to leave must also be addressed", in comments apparently directed at Myanmar and Bangladesh.
US assistant secretary of state Anne Richard also urged swift action to save the lives of migrants out at sea.
Analysis: Jonathan Head, BBC News, Bangkok
There is a growing consensus on how to help those migrants caught out by Thailand's sudden move against smuggling networks. Migrant boats will no longer be pushed back to sea by Malaysia and Indonesia, although Thailand will still nudge those it finds in the direction of those two countries.
Money is being found to help support those who have already landed. Thailand has even dropped its objection to the US flying military surveillance aircraft over its territorial waters. After their harrowing voyages, the migrants should now get fair and humane treatment.
Addressing what's causing the flow of migrants is clearly going to be more difficult. The Bangladesh delegation acknowledged that many are poor economic migrants from its shores, but stressed "external factors" driving others - a veiled reference to the harsh treatment of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
Almost no-one is using the word Rohingya, though. The Burmese delegation objects to this, and has warned against what it calls "finger-pointing". Consensus on the Rohingyas is still a very distant goal.
Are more people on the move than ever before?
'Only discussions''Only discussions'
Friday's talks include representatives from 17 countries affected by "irregular migration in the Indian Ocean" - Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Friday's talks include representatives from 17 countries affected by "irregular migration in the Indian Ocean".
The US, Japan and Switzerland have sent observers and there are officials from the UN refugee agency, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Organization for Migration. The US, Japan and Switzerland have sent observers and there are officials from the UN refugee agency UNHCR, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Organization for Migration.
However, correspondents say many of those attending are not ministerial-level and the talks are unlikely to produce a binding agreement or even a plan of action.However, correspondents say many of those attending are not ministerial-level and the talks are unlikely to produce a binding agreement or even a plan of action.
Myanmar, which denies the Rohingya citizenship, making them effectively stateless, has played down any hopes of an agreement.
"We are going there only to discuss the regional crisis which all of the Asean countries are facing," Htein Lin, head of Myanmar's delegation, told Reuters news agency.
The crisis began earlier this year when Thailand cracked down on overland migrant routes, forcing people smugglers to use sea routes instead.
Most countries are unwilling take in the migrants, fearing that by accepting them they will encourage more to make the journey.Most countries are unwilling take in the migrants, fearing that by accepting them they will encourage more to make the journey.
Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to stop towing boats out to sea and to give temporary shelter to those who have landed. Thailand has only said it will stop rejecting the boats.Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to stop towing boats out to sea and to give temporary shelter to those who have landed. Thailand has only said it will stop rejecting the boats.
More than 3,000 migrants have landed in Indonesia and Malaysia in recent weeks.
Asia's migrant crisisAsia's migrant crisis
Why are so many Rohingya stranded at sea?Why are so many Rohingya stranded at sea?
The perilous journey of a migrant boat that made itThe perilous journey of a migrant boat that made it
The Indonesian villagers saving migrantsThe Indonesian villagers saving migrants
More than 3,000 migrants have landed in Indonesia and Malaysia in recent weeks but relief agencies say that almost as many are believed to be still adrift on abandoned boats.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said Australia would not resettle any of the migrants, adding: "We are not going to do anything that will encourage people to get on boats."
Earlier, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama urged Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to "do something" to help the Rohingya.
The Dalai Lama told The Australian newspaper on Thursday he had discussed the Rohingya in meetings with Ms Suu Kyi, a fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
"She told me she found some difficulties, that things were not simple but very complicated," he was quoted as saying. "But in spite of that I feel she can do something."
The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Myanmar says many see Ms Suu Kyi's silence as political pragmatism, as many in Myanmar are hostile to the Rohingya minority and elections are due to be held in November.