‘Brexit will open avenues for Indo-UK business relations’
: The issue of Rohingya Muslims, is a complex matter of ethnic-cleansing and is a heartbreaking humanitarian crisis, said British minister for Asia Mark Field as he called for regional initiatives to help.
Field, in an exclusive interview to Hindustan Times on Tuesday, said Brexit—Britain leaving the European Union (EU) — will bring more good news for Indian businesses.
He also batted for reinventing the Commonwealth and disccussed the possibilities of India and UK stepping up the cyber security cooperation under their larger strategic road map for the Indian Ocean region.
The Central London MP, who recently travelled to the troubleprone Rakhine state in Myanmar and held discussions with state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, termed the Rohingya crisis “heart breaking.”
“That is a pre-dominantly Muslim area. But those who are affected by the ethnic-cleansing include Hindus and Buddhists. It is a complex issue,” Field said.
He called for regional initiatives like ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Countries) to take up a more active role in addressing the issue.
Myanmar is the only ASEAN country India shares a land boundary with and New Delhi has consistently maintained that Rohingyas are illegal immigrants and not refugees. There are an estimated 40,000 Rohingyas in India who fled Myanmar over a period of time in one of the worst incidents of ethnic violence in recent times.
When asked about the Indian position on Rohingyas, the minister said he understood New Delhi’s viewpoint and suggested that all stakeholders work together to ensure the refugees can go back to Myanmar. “For that, the state has to be safe for them to return”, he said.
Speaking on Britain’s decision to leave the EU, he said Brexit will provide greater opportunities to Indian companies as EU members would not disrupt the existing mutually-beneficial business models between the two nations in sectors including financial services and pharmaceuticals.
He added that Brexit will also provide more opportunities to the two nations for enhanced cooperation in the small and medium sector industries.
When asked how soon India and UK could stitch up a Free Trade Pact, he quipped, “Politicians and bureaucrats talk about free-trade pacts and businessmen want to get on with business”.
He also pitched for greater cooperation between the rtwo countries in cyber security under the Indian Ocean strategy. As the UK plans to host the summit of Commonwealth leaders next April, the minster said India is the lynchpin of the grouping and called for a rehaul so that it is more relevant.
Field is in India to attend a cyber security conference and will meet with information and technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and minister of state for external affairs MJ Akbar.
NEWDELHI It is predominantly Muslim area. But those who are affected by the ethniccleansing include Hindus and Buddhists. It is a complex issue.
MARK FIELD, UK minister for Asia