Indo-Burma news (r)

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India, Myanmar troops agree to have more cooperation

Press Trust of India

NEW DELHI, Jan 8

Indian and Myanmarese armed forces top brass concluded their two-day talks at
Myanmar and in Shillong today with the resolve to enhance cooperation, improve
communications and exchanges between the forces deployed along Indo-Myanmar
border.

Chief of army staff General VP Malik flew to Mandalay on Thursday heading a
high level delegation of senior military officials including those of the Navy
and Air Force. He held extensive talks with General Maug Aye, vice chairman of
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and commander-in-chief of the
Myanmar army.

General Maung Aye, heading a top level Myanmar delegation, visited Shillong
yesterday, according to an external affairs ministry release here.

The Myanmar army chief was accompanied by Lt. Gen Tin Oo, secretary of the
ruling SPDC, Lt Gen Win Myint, Adjutant General, Lt Gen Tin Hla, Deputy Prime
Minister , commander-in-chief of Myanmar Navy Vice Admiral Nyunt Thein and
commander-in-chief of Myanmar Airforce Maj Gen. Kyaw Than.

During the exchange of visits General Malik and General Maung Aye agreed to
have more regular exchange between the two armies, the release said.

On arrival in Shillong, the junta's delegation held wide ranging bilateral
talks with Indian side led by commerce minister Murasoli Maran accompanied by
power minister PR Kumaramangalam plus secretaries from the ministries of
external affairs, home, power and commerce.

The two sides agreed to adopt concrete measures to enhance coperation in the
field of agriculture, industry, infrastructure development and science and
technology, the release said.

Besides these, the two sides also decided to talk necessary measures to ensure
that border trade at the existing border  point Moreh-Tamu is fully
facilitated.

Both the neighbours also agreed to consider operationalising the second border
trade point at Champhai-Rih in Mizoram sector including through improvement in
infrastructural facilities in area, it said.

In order to maintain the momentum of on-going cooperation in various
industrial
sectors between the two countries, it was agreed that Myanmar would receive at
the earliest a multi-disciplinary delegation from India to be drawn from
public
and private sectors, the release added.

India and Myanmar have arrived at a mutual agreement to open up more trading
point in the border, Union minister for trade and industry Maran said.

As of now, these is only on major trading point through Moreh in Myanmar, he
said.

The meeting, held between an Indian delegation and Myanmar officials here
yesterday, also discussed the possibility of navigation through Kaladal river
in Myanmar, which would benefit the people of the Noth Eastern region, he told
newsmen today.

The meeting felt an urgent need to open up more ranking institutions in the
borders of these countries for financing trade and other business, he said.

He informed that a team of experts from the Geological Survey of India,
Central
Water Commission and power ministry would undertake an investigation an
investigation for setting up a 1000 MW Tamathi hydro electric project in
Myanmar, as the  region was depending on the eastern grid for its power
supply.

On the bilateral trade between the two countries, Maran said that export from
India to Myanmar was Rs 200 crore last year and the import from Myanmar into
India was Rs 679 crore.

The Sangai Express
IMPHAL Sunday 9 January 2000 VOL I/117 

Nods given to more trading points

SHILLONG, Jan 8 (PTI)

India and Myanmar have arrived at a mutual agreement to open up more trading
point in the border, Union mister for trade and industry Murasoli Maran today
said .

As of now, there is only on major trading point through Moreh in Manipur, he
said.

The meeting, held between an India delegation and Myanmar officials here
yesterday, also discussed the possibility of navigation through Kaladal river
in Myanmar, which would benefit the people of the north eastern region, he
told
newsmen today.

Describing the meeting of the two countries as a routine matter, Maran said
they had specifically discussed ways to remove, what he termed as some of the
bottlenecks that hindered the development of trade of the two countries.

The meeting felt an urgent need to open up more ranking institutions in the
borders of these countries for financing trade and other business, he said.

The Indian delegation to the meeting which discussed areas of mutual interest
including agriculture, science and technology and border security was led by
union minister for power P Kumarmangalam.

Explaining the ways and means of improving  trade, Maran said they had also
discussed the possibility of opening an inland-water transport system which
would connect Calcutta by Kaladan river.

He informed that a team of experts from the Geological Survey of India,
Central
Water Commission and power ministry would undertake an investigation an
investigation for setting up a 1000 MW Tamathi hydro electric project in
Myanmar, as the  region was depending on the eastern grid for its power
supply.

On the bilateral trade between the two countries, Maran said that export from
India to Myanmar was Rs 200 crore last year and the import from Myanmar into
India was Rs 679 crore.

A high-level meeting was also held between the Indian armed forces and Myanmar
armed forces.

An external affairs ministry release here said as an outcome of the Army Chief
Gen VP Malik's visit to Myanmar on January 2, Gen. Maung Aye attended the
meeting as a guest of Gen. Malik. He was accompanied by a high-level
delegation.

The release also said that during this exchange of visits, Gen Malik and Gen
Maung Aye discussed enhancing cooperation and more regular exchanges between
the armed forces of the two countries, including in the field of training.

The two sides also discussed measures to improve communication  and exchanges
between their forces deployed along the common border.

The Imphal Free Press
IMPHAL 9 January 2000 Sunday Vol V/7



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