Myanmar suspends exploration in Bay

Myanmar ships yesterday suspended oil and gas exploration activities inside Bangladesh maritime territory awaiting the outcome of a dialogue between Dhaka's special envoy and the Yangon authorities.
Bangladesh Navy has strengthened its position around the three Myanmar warships and four exploration vessels in the Bay-- 55 km southwest at 227 degrees from St Martin's Island.
“The Navy has mobilised six ships, including a frigate and two missile launchers, at the spot. It is getting ready to face any situation using whatever resources in its possession,” said a defence source. “Navy officers and staffs have been put on high alert. They are virtually spending sleepless night.”
He also said frigate Khaled Bin Walid (previously Bangabandhu) yesterday returned from a one-month stay in Kuwait coast and has been kept standby. Another frigate-- Osman -- is also being prepared for operation.
Meanwhile, in a move to resolve the crisis diplomatically, Bangladesh sent a high level delegation headed by Foreign Secretary Mohammad Touhid Hossain to Yangon early yesterday to lodge protest with the Myanmar top authorities. The three-member team will also ask for suspension of exploration activities till the settlement of maritime boundary.
The delegation includes maritime expert Commodore (retd) M Khurshed Alam and Commodore Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan.
Reinforcing the diplomatic move to end the crisis, Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury at a meeting with Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Zheng Qingdian requested him to ask Myanmar to retreat from Bangladesh territorial waters. China is Myanmar's closest ally.
“I have explained our peaceful intentions to our Chinese friends. We expressed hopes that Myanmar would stop exploration activities and withdraw,” he said.
The Myanmar ships started exploration activities on Saturday ignoring Bangladesh Navy warnings that they were trespassing into Bangladesh waters. The area is well within Bangladesh maritime territory and marked as deep-sea blocks 8-13.
Dhaka officially lodged protest with Yangon on Sunday.