Myanmar Stops Disputed Gas Exploration

Bangladesh sent a naval patrol to the area on Sunday after Myanmar began exploration in the blocks, thought to be rich in gas reserves.

Myanmar stopped oil and gas exploration in deep-sea blocks in disputed waters in the Bay of Bengal on Thursday, a day after Bangladesh had apprised China over the row, officials said.

"They have stopped exploration, but are yet to remove vessels and equipment from our (sea) territory," a Bangladesh navy official told Reuters.

Bangladesh asked China on Wednesday to help it resolve the row with Myanmar, after sending a diplomatic team to Yangon on Tuesday in a bid to resolve the standoff.

Bangladesh sent a naval patrol to the area on Sunday after Myanmar began exploration in the blocks, thought to be rich in gas reserves.

The two have been holding talks for years to demarcate their border in the Bay of Bengal, and this week Bangladesh said it wanted a diplomatic solution to the dispute to avoid any confrontation.

Earlier Bangladesh's Foreign Adviser (minister) Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said his government would do everything needed to protect its sovereignty and rightful claims in the Bay of Bengal.

China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged both countries to take measures to resolve the dispute amicably.

"As a friend and neighbour of both countries, China hopes to play a role through appropriate means," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters at a regular briefing.

Myanmar has said it would go ahead with the exploration of the deep-sea blocks. Yangon summoned the Bangladesh ambassador on Sunday to complain after Dhaka sent navy ships to the area.

Technical delegations from both sides were scheduled to meet in Dhaka on Nov. 16 and 17 to discuss maritime boundary demarcation, officials said.

Bangladesh said last year some offshore blocks Myanmar had been trying to explore in cooperation with India were in Bangladesh's waters.