Germany has urged Myanmar for direct and comprehensive implementation of the recommendations made by the Rakhine Advisory Commission headed by former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resolve the crisis in Rakhine state bordering Bangladesh.

“The renewed crisis in Rakhine shows how important a sustainable improvement of the situation in Rakhine is. The Federal Government supports the recently published recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission under the leadership of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as a good starting point,” German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said in a statement posted on the verified Facebook page of the Embassy of Germany in Dhaka yesterday.

“I appeal to Aung San Suu Kyi and the Myanmar government to implement the recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission directly and comprehensively. Germany and the EU are ready to support Myanmar,” he said.

“I am deeply concerned about the renewed fighting in the state of Rakhine, Myanmar, which has been triggered by attacks on military and police stations and which have once again triggered a large flow of refugees to Bangladesh,” said the German foreign minister.

“I appeal to all sides to contribute to de-escalation and to protect the civilian population,” he said.

“The focus now needs to be on the sufferings of the affected people. That is why the Myanmar government must allow aid and humanitarian organizations unlimited access to the affected areas,” Gabriel said.

“I welcome the fact that the Myanmar government, the United Nations and the International Red Cross (ICRC) have agreed that the ICRC will provide humanitarian aid in the next two weeks. In the past few days, we had emphatically promoted the Myanmar government,” he said.

The high number of refugees is a huge burden for the neighboring country Bangladesh, acknowledged the German minister, adding, “We expressly welcome the generous reception and care of the refugees in Bangladesh.”