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Asia boat migrants: Nations to hold emergency meeting Asia boat migrants: Nations hold emergency meeting
(about 4 hours later)
Foreign ministers from Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are due to hold an emergency meeting in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the region's migrant crisis. Foreign ministers from Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are holding an emergency meeting in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the region's migrant crisis.
Thousands of Bangladeshis and Rohingya Muslims, fleeing persecution in Myanmar, have spent weeks at sea. Thousands of Bangladeshis as well as Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar have spent weeks at sea in poor conditions with little food and water.
Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia have refused to let them come ashore. But none of the countries meeting in Malaysia is prepared to take them in.
Speaking ahead of the talks, Indonesia's foreign minister said the migrant issue was "not a problem of one or two countries". Shortly after the meeting began, another 350 migrants were rescued by local people off Indonesia.
"They were suffering dehydration, they are weak and starving," Khairul Nove, head of the search and rescue agency in Aceh province's Langsa City, told the Associated Press. He said more than half of the passengers were women and children.
Local reports said at least 500 people had been spotted in the waters off Aceh in total.
'International issue'
Ahead of the Kuala Lumpur talks, Indonesia's foreign minister said the issue was "not a problem of one or two countries".
"It happens in other places as well, it is actually an international issue," said Retno Marsudi."It happens in other places as well, it is actually an international issue," said Retno Marsudi.
She urged more co-operation with the United Nations and other international organisations to resettle the thousands of migrants who had abandoned the boats and made it to shore. She urged more co-operation with the United Nations and other international organisations to resettle the thousands of migrants who have made it to shore by swimming or when they were rescued from sinking boats.
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said a "comprehensive regional response" was needed and has called on the three countries to launch search and rescue operations and put in place procedures for assessing any refugee claims. Myanmar (also known as Burma), is under pressure to do more to stop the migrants leaving in the first place, but is not attending the talks and denies it is to blame.
Towed away But the AFP news agency quoted a foreign ministry statement on Thursday as saying it was "ready to provide humanitarian assistance to anyone who suffered in the sea".
Ms Marsudi will meet her counterparts Anifah Aman from Malaysia and Thailand's Tanasak Patimapragorn in the Malaysian capital to debate the issues. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has said a "comprehensive regional response" is needed and has called on the three countries to launch search and rescue operations and put in place procedures for assessing any refugee claims.
The ministers face growing international pressure to relent, but also domestic public opinion, which is generally hostile to the migrants, according to the BBC's East Asia editor Jill McGivering. It has expressed concern that boats are being pushed away from the countries' coasts, and has offered to send Malaysia medical and other aid, as well as help with processing the migrants.
Rohingya migrants have been fleeing Myanmar for decades via Thailand, but the crisis has intensified because of a crackdown on people smugglers by the Thai authorities.
It has led to traffickers using sea routes, and often abandoning migrants on boats.
Officials from neighbouring countries have supplied some of the migrants, drifting in the Andaman Sea, with food and water, but have then towed them out of their own territory.
Malaysia has already hosted more than 45,000 Rohingyas over the years, according to the UN, but now says it cannot accept any more.
The UNHCR said it was deeply concerned boats were being pushed away and has offered to send Malaysia medical and other aid, as well as help with processing the migrants.
Myanmar has acknowledged the international "concerns", but denied it was solely to blame.
It has yet to say if it will attend any meetings on the issue.
Why has this crisis erupted?Why has this crisis erupted?
Why are so many Rohingya stranded at sea?Why are so many Rohingya stranded at sea?
Myanmar's unwanted peopleMyanmar's unwanted people
Towed away
Wednesday's meeting is being hosted by Malaysia, which is currently chair of the Associated of South East Asian Nations (Asean) group.
The BBC's Mariko Oi, who is at the talks, says there is mounting international pressure on countries in the region to help the migrants.
But it is difficult for them to find a simple solution, our correspondent adds, as none of them wants to open the floodgates to future waves of migration.
Malaysia has already hosted more than 45,000 Rohingyas over the years, according to the UN, but now says it cannot accept any more.
Thailand and Indonesia have said they will help migrants in distress at sea but cannot open their borders to more.