Aung San Suu Kyi: Rohingya crisis cannot be solved 'overnight'

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi said on Tuesday the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis cannot be solved "overnight" but stressed, however, that "steady progress" could be made to address the conflict.

Speaking at the same press conference, Sven Mikser, a representative of the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, said he was "encouraged" by the work undertaken by Myanmar and neighbouring Bangladesh to reach a bilateral agreement.

He went on to say that this deal would ensure "the voluntary safe and dignified return to the place of origin of all those who have fled Myanmar."

The two officials made the comments during a press conference on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Naypyitaw.

Foreign ministers and representatives of 51 countries from Asia and Europe were meeting in the Myanmar capital for a second day on Tuesday in a forum that aims to further political and economic cooperation.

More than 600,000 Muslims have fled Myanmar's northern Rakhine state for Bangladesh following a military crackdown purportedly aimed at insurgents.

Many believe the crackdown has become an attempt to permanently drive out the Muslim minority – widely despised by the majority Buddhist population and branded illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, though many have lived in the area for generations.