Pope Francis met Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi Tuesday, an AFP reporter said, for keenly-awaited talks in which rights groups hope the pontiff will discuss the country's treatment of its Rohingya Muslim population.

The pair met at the presidential palace in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw for 45 minutes of scheduled talks, likely to focus on the plight of the 620,000 Rohingya who have fled an army crackdown in Myanmar to Bangladesh.