DHAKA: Myanmar stopped oil and gas exploration in deep-sea blocks in disputed waters in the Bay of Bengal on Thursday, a day after Bangladesh had apprised China over the row, officials said.
They have stopped exploration, but are yet to remove vessels and equipment from our (sea) territory, a Bangladesh navy official told Reuters. Bangladesh asked China on Wednesday to help it resolve the row with Myanmar, after sending a diplomatic team to Yangon on Tuesday in a bid to resolve the standoff.
Bangladesh sent a naval patrol to the area on Sunday after Myanmar began exploration in the blocks, thought to be rich in gas reserves. The two have been holding talks for years to demarcate their border in the Bay of Bengal, and this week Bangladesh said it wanted a diplomatic solution to the dispute to avoid any confrontation. Chinas Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged both countries to take measures to resolve the dispute amicably.
As a friend and neighbour of both countries, China hopes to play a role through appropriate means, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters at a regular briefing.