Mike Pence issues rebuke to Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi over 'persecution' of Rohingya Muslims

US Vice President Mike Pence has issued his strongest condemnation yet of Myanmar’s treatment of Rohingya Muslims warning leader Aung San Suu Kyi that “persecution” by her country’s army was “without excuse.”

He met with the Myanmar leader on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific summit in Singapore.

While sitting next to the Myanmar leader, he said: “The violence and persecution by military and vigilantes that resulted in driving 700,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh is without excuse.”

“I am anxious to hear the progress that you are making of holding those accountable who are responsible for the violence that displaced so many hundreds of thousands and created such suffering, including the loss of life.”

Mr Pence also called for the release of two journalists who were arrested nearly a year ago and sentenced in September to seven years in prison for breaching the Official Secrets Act.

He is set to meet with leaders of Southeast Asian nations on Thursday. They are also expected to call for those responsible for atrocities in Rakhine state to be held “fully accountable,” according to a summit.

The Myanmar army launched a sweeping offensive in the north of Rakhine state in late August last year, in response to Rohingya militant attacks.

Myanmar denies persecuting members of the Muslim minority, saying its forces have carried out legitimate counterinsurgency operations.

Ms Suu Kyi, responding to Pence, said: "Of course people have different points of view but the point is that you should exchange these views and try to understand each other better."

"In a way we can say that we understand our country better than any other country does and I'm sure you will say the same of yours, that you understand your country better than anybody else," she added.

The United States has accused the military of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya, who are widely reviled in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.

U.N.-mandated investigators have accused the military of unleashing a campaign of killings, rape and arson with "genocidal intent".

Additional reporting by Reuters.