B'desh, Myanmar warships stay positioned in Bay of Bengal

Anisur Rahman
Dhaka, Nov 5 (PTI) The naval ships from Bangladesh and Myanmar continued to be deployed in the Bay of Bengal today even as a flurry of diplomatic negotiations are underway to resolve the standoff over Yangon's bid to explore hydrocarbon in the disputed maritime boundary.

An official familiar with the situation said Yangon agreed to withdraw their rig installed in the disputed area of the sea under specified conditions as the two sides are expected to defuse the tension over Myanmar's hydrocarbon exploration.

Navy ships of both the countries are, however, staying in the area around the rig of a South Korean exploration company, the official said preferring anonymity.

A high-level three-member delegation headed by Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mohammad Touhid Hossain left for Yangon late last night to urge authorities in Myanmar to suspend exploration activities in the disputed area until the settlement of the maritime boundary dispute.

Meanwhile, Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh U Phae Thann Oo also left for Yangon last evening, official source said.

Myanmar last week started offshore oil and gas exploration activities in the disputed waters of the Bay of Bengal, some 60 nautical miles off Saint Martin's Island.

Officials, earlier, said that according to a verbal agreement, the two countries pledged not to carry out any exploration in the waters they both claim but Myanmar awarded contract to a South Korean company to explore gas and oil in the disputed waters. PTI