US State Department says Kerry discusses Rohingya with Thailand
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State John Kerry called Thailand's foreign minister to discuss temporary shelter for Rohingya Muslims adrift at sea, the State Department said on Friday, as the United States seeks to address a crisis involving thousan
"The secretary called his Thai counterpart [Thursday] night to discuss the situation of migrants in the Andaman Sea and to discuss the possibility of Thailand providing temporary shelter for them," State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke said at a briefing.
Thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar and Bangladesh are stranded on boats as governments in the region block them from landing and the Thai government cracks down on human trafficking.
Rathke said nearly 3,000 migrants had landed in Indonesia and Malaysia this week and were receiving assistance.
He added US ambassadors in the region are "intensely engaged" with governments about mounting a rapid humanitarian response.
"We urge the governments of the region to work together quickly, first and foremost, to save the lives of migrants now at sea who are in need of an immediate rescue effort," Rathke said. "We urge governments in the region to refrain from push backs of new boat arrivals."
