Myanmar hopes for "constructive cooperation" with UN

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar was dedicated to cooperating with the United Nations on the Rohingya refugee crisis, but hoped the cooperation would be "constructive", a Myanmar representative said here on Tuesday.

"We have serious doubt about the attitude of some members of the council who repeatedly refuse to call my country even by its name, its proper name," U Hau Do Suan, Myanmar's ambassador to the UN, told a UN Security Council session.

"This behavior of arrogance and hostile mentality will not contribute to constructive cooperation," the ambassador said.

The words "'ethnic cleansing' and 'crimes against humanity' should not be used lightly, without concrete evidence and final legal determination," he said.

Officials of some UN member states have repeatedly said they saw the alleged forced exodus of Rohingyas from their homes in Myanmar's northern Rakhine State into Bangladesh as a textbook case of "ethnic cleansing."

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said earlier that "Burma (Myanmar) must allow an independent, transparent, and credible investigation into what has happened. Allowing full access for the UN Fact-Finding Mission to gather information and evidence from the ground is vital to accountability and a solution to the crisis."

"There is no denying that these atrocities, including ethnic cleansing, have taken place," she said.

A flood of Rohingya refugees was triggered by a deadly attack by rebel militia on Myanmar security posts in northern Rakhine State, across the border from Myanmar. Government forces and vigilante groups then allegedly reacted, forcing Rohingyas out of their homes.

UN Undersecretary-General Jeffrey Feltman said in his report that during his recent visit to Myanmar, he urged "all Myanmar leaders, including in the military, to condemn incitement to racial hatred and violence."

"We encourage them to adopt measures to defuse tensions between communities and create an environment for safe and dignified repatriation, including through interfaith initiatives," said Feltman.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an agreement on Nov. 23 to safely, voluntarily and "with dignity" repatriate the refugees to their original domiciles or near them.

Feltman expressed his appreciation of Myanmar's neighbors, particularly China, to facilitate the implementation of the Nov. 23 agreement. Enditem