Seventh National Level Meeting betw

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The following is a Press Release, at Rangoon, dated August 31st from
Ministry of Home Affairs, India)

Seventh National Level Meeting between India and Myanmar, August 28 to
31, 2000

 Shri Kamal Pande, Secretary, Home Affairs of India accompanied by a
delegation consisting of senior officials from the Ministers of Home
Affairs, External Affairs and Department of Revenue (Narcotics Control
Bureau), visited Myanmar from August 28 to 31, 2000, for the Seventh
National Level Meeting between India and Myanmar.

The Myanmar delegation to the meeting was led by Brig. Gen. Thura Myint
Maung, Deputy Minister of Home in the Government of Myanmar.

The mechanism of National level Meetings, on an annual basis, was
initiated in 1994, between the Ministries of Home Affairs of the two
naighbouring countries. The meetings are held, alternatively, in India
and Myanmar, respectively. The agenda for these meetings comprise
cross-border issues, including security, control of drug trafficking and
contraband cross-border trade and projects and movement of people across
the border.

The Sixth National Level Meeting was held in New Delhi in August 1999.

During his stay in Yangon, Shri Kamal Pande and his delegation called on
Lt. Gen. Nyunt, Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development council
of Myanmar, Col. Tin Hlaing, Minister of Home Affairs and U Saw Tun,
Minister for immigration and Population, Government of Myanmar.

At the conclusion of the Seventh National Level Meeting, Shri Kamal
Pande and Brig. Gen. Thura Myint Maung, signed Agreed Minutes of the
meeting on August 30, 2000.

The two sides reviewed the progress achieved in the implementation of
measures for ensuring security along the India-Myanmar border and
pledged to further strengthen their bilateral cooperation in this
regard. They also welcomed the completion, by the end of this year, of
the Tamu-Kalewa highway project, which will significantly improve
corss-border transport, and communication between the two countries. The
highway, which is being built with Indian assistance, links the
India-Myanmar border in Manipur with Kalewa on the Chindwin River in
Myanmar border to Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city after the
Capital Yangon.

The two delegations also pledged to strengthen their cooperation in the
suppression of drug trafficking across their common border, even while
promoting crossing-border trade and other mutually beneficial economic
activities.

The Seventh National Meeting was held in an atmosphere of friendship and
cordiality.

The Home Secretary of India and his delegation also paid a brief visit
to Bagan, to view the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Myanmar.
The Ambassador of India hosted a dinner in honour of the visiting
delegation on August 30, 2000. The Minister of Home Affairs of Myanmar,
Col. Tin Hlaing and the Deputy Minister, Brig. Gen. Thura Myint Maung
were among the dignitaries who attended.

The delegation left for India on August 31, 2000, at the conclusion of
its visit to Myanmar.