US Urges Russia to Reconsider Fighter Jet Sale to Myanmar

Washington, MINA – The US urged Russia to reconsider a reported agreement to sell Myanmar a supply of fighter planes amid human rights violations against the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority.

“We’ve seen some new troubling media reports that Russia intends to sell SU-30 fighter jets to the Burmese armed forces,” KUNA reported, citing US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert on Thursday.

“The reports, if confirmed, serve as another reminder of Russia’s continued efforts to arm militaries that flagrantly violate human rights.”

She highlighted Myanmar’s military treatment of Rohingya Muslims in the country’s Rakhine State, which has caused 680,000 refugees to flee to Bangladesh.

“While the Russian Federation says it favors constructive dialogue to resolve the crisis in Burma, the reports of plans to sell advanced military technology, if true, show otherwise,” Nauert stressed.

“We urge the governments of both Russia and Burma to reconsider a further buildup in arms and fully commit their efforts to finding a peaceful and stable solution to that crisis,” she added. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)