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Indo-Myanmar ties have taken a hist



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            Indo-Myanmar ties have taken a historical turn:
                               U Win Aung

>From The Hindu newspaper, February 17, 2001

 By Amit Baruah

YANGON, FEB. 16. The Myanmar Foreign Minister, U Win Aung, in an
exclusive interview yesterday, provided an insight into Indo- Myanmar
relations, Yangon's perception of Sino-Indian relations and its
experience with ASEAN.

The Minister was very pleased with the visit of his Indian counterpart,
Mr. Jaswant Singh, and spoke of other areas of cooperation between the
two countries.

 The following are excerpts from the interview:

The Hindu: How would you assess the visit of the Indian External Affairs
Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, to your country?

U Win Aung: The visit was very fruitful. I asked the Foreign Minister,
Mr. Jaswant Singh, at the airport what he thought of the visit and he
said it had been very fruitful. Since 1981, (when) the former Prime
Minister, Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao, who was Foreign Minister at the time,
visited our country and 20 years apart, now we have another Foreign
Minister visiting our country.

 We felt it is the right moment and it is a historical turn in exchange
of visits between our two countries and it materialised after the visit
of our Vice-Chairman (of the ruling State Peace and Development
Council), Gen. Maung Aye, to India. I think that this visit.... after
his meeting with various Ministers and at my dinner and call and
talks.... seven or eight Ministers together.... because I arranged that.
His (Mr. Singh's) visit was very, very short. The meetings this
(February 15) morning with our Chairman, Senior General Than Shwe, and
also with Secretary- 1, Gen. Khin Nyunt, were very fruitful and, for us,
it is a very encouraging sign that the relations between India and
Myanmar are coming to a historical turn. It is a turn we have waited
for.

We have the recent example of constructing the road from Tamu to Kalewa
to Kalemyo. What are the other infrastructure projects that have been
discussed during the visit of the External Affairs Minister?

We have agreed to the construction of a bridge in Rih, between Champai
(in Mizoram) and Rih. There is a Rhi lake; it's a heart- shaped lake.
People in the area used to cross the border and from that point onwards,
we will construct some roads. We have also been undertaking feasibility
studies from Mizoram to Sittwe (Akyab port) - what we call the Kaladan
river project and Palewa. It will have the chance of providing Mizoram
with a sea outlet and also another place we are talking is Kyaukpyu -
that's a deep sea port.

There are also projects in the field of hydroelectricity, power
projects. One in Tamanthi on the Chindwin River and another project we
are discussing is at Yeywa, near Mandalay.... we covered a lot of areas
(relating to) trade and national crime and also security-related matters
as well cooperation in information technology and industrialisation
projects of our country.

On the insurgency issue in the north-east which is of concern to India,
there is cooperation between the security forces of the two countries.
Do you think there can be any formal arrangement in this area or the
current arrangement is sufficient?

The current arrangement is sufficient. There are mechanisms between the
two armed forces and.... they have been cooperating and also that there
are assurances that our border should become (free) of any insurgency
problem. We will cooperate in this matter.

Your country straddles both South Asia and Southeast Asia. You are the
link between South Asia and Southeast Asia and can enjoy the advantages
of both. How do you look at this aspect?

Let us phrase it in this manner. Look at the map. Yes, you are correct
that we are right in the middle of East and West Asia and North and
South Asia. So, without us you cannot go around and it will not be
possible to go around. We are in the middle and we are a link. So,
BIMSTEC (grouping Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and;
Nepal having observer status) is one area in which we are very
interested so that we can become a link.

 There is a good link or bad link. What I mean is that our country which
is the co-founder of the Non-Aligned Movement and also co- author of the
Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence with China, India and
Myanmar.... and a country which has consistently adhered to its
principled stand of non-alignment.... without any deviation we have been
strictly adhering to that position. That's why we have been isolated
ourselves. And, we didn't want to play in the Cold War games, we don't
want our land to be used by any powers to make any sort of hegemonic
movements. That's why we have tried to isolate ourselves in the past.

 Religiously, we are a Buddhist country. We, Buddhists, have no enemy.
We don't regard anybody as a potential enemy.  We want to be peaceful,
we want to solve whatever problems which might arise in a peaceful
manner. That's the way of life and way of thinking we have. I think
that's why we can play a big role in cementing from the East and West
and North and South Asia.

On the issue of democracy, it is clear that your Government has its own
perceptions. Recently, you have started some talks with the Opposition,
how do you see that process?

 We, in our country, have had a lot of problems since independence.
These problems are not locally-made problems. These problems are created
from outside by our old colonial masters... in 1948-49 after
independence there was a committee in London... to support the fractious
rebellions in our country. Since that time, we had been figthing among
ourselves for most of the time.

 We need to stop the fighting, create peace and stability, we need to
create better understanding among our own people. And love each other.
Not in a sort of you-are-this you-are-that; not accusing each other. We
need to find solutions where our people of 135 national races could live
together for ever. And, we are hoping for national reconciliation.

 We had in the past 14 years of Parliamentary democracy which failed.
And then socialist-type of economy... for 26 years. Let me very frankly
say that that policy also failed to move our country forward. These
successive Governments might have been able to solve some problems, but
not the fundamental problems of national unity, economic development to
all corners of the country and even social problems are there -
education, health care....

 You will be surprised, that in 1975, the road between Yangon and
Mandalay was not safe to travel. At night no traffic at all, no trains.
We have not come out if, we have graduated, we have matured from that
position right now to a more secure and more peaceful atmosphere....

 What we need to do is that all the political forces or political
parties or all the people to unite, to have one aim and goal - that is a
democratic nation. In the past, NLD (Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi's National
League for Democracy) has been using a confrontational approach,
denouncing every move of the Government.... this confrontational
attitudes have now stopped and pressure techniques and things like that
have been abandoned.... we hope for ever.

There is a perception that there is strategic competition between India
and China. Many Western reporters have written about this. I would just
like to get your view of this.

 The world today is changing. From the bipolar world.... now the Eastern
bloc has collapsed.... we have to frankly say that. The unipolar world
is the main player. Now, the direction is towards (a) multipolar
(world). In this process (along) with globalisation, every country has
the responsibility for mankind to create better living conditions for
its citizens.

 For instance, India with more than one billion people has the
responsibility to feed its people, to better clothe its people, to have
better shelter and better living conditions... And (the) Chinese
Government also, with 1.2 billion people, they have also to create and
work hard for the better living conditions of their own people.

 We, in our country, (need to do) the same thing. In this world, when
our population of the world has crossed six billion, we should not
emphasise only on the rivalry between the powers but we should try to
have cooperation.




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<center><b><u><font face="Arial Black"><font color="#3366FF">Indo-Myanmar
ties have taken a historical turn:</font></font></u></b>
<br><b><u><font face="Arial Black"><font color="#3366FF">U Win Aung</font></font></u></b></center>

<p><font size=+1>From The Hindu newspaper, February 17, 2001</font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;By Amit Baruah</font>
<p><font size=+1>YANGON, FEB. 16. The Myanmar Foreign Minister, U Win Aung,
in an exclusive interview yesterday, provided an insight into Indo- Myanmar
relations, Yangon's perception of Sino-Indian relations and its experience
with ASEAN.</font>
<p><font size=+1>The Minister was very pleased with the visit of his Indian
counterpart, Mr. Jaswant Singh, and spoke of other areas of cooperation
between the two countries.</font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;The following are excerpts from the interview:</font>
<p><font color="#FF0000"><font size=+1>The Hindu: How would you assess
the visit of the Indian External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, to
your country?</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>U Win Aung: The visit was very fruitful. I asked the Foreign
Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, at the airport what he thought of the visit
and he said it had been very fruitful. Since 1981, (when) the former Prime
Minister, Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao, who was Foreign Minister at the time,
visited our country and 20 years apart, now we have another Foreign Minister
visiting our country.</font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;We felt it is the right moment and it is a historical
turn in exchange of visits between our two countries and it materialised
after the visit of our Vice-Chairman (of the ruling State Peace and Development
Council), Gen. Maung Aye, to India. I think that this visit.... after his
meeting with various Ministers and at my dinner and call and talks....
seven or eight Ministers together.... because I arranged that. His (Mr.
Singh's) visit was very, very short. The meetings this (February 15) morning
with our Chairman, Senior General Than Shwe, and also with Secretary- 1,
Gen. Khin Nyunt, were very fruitful and, for us, it is a very encouraging
sign that the relations between India and Myanmar are coming to a historical
turn. It is a turn we have waited for.</font>
<p><font color="#FF0000"><font size=+1>We have the recent example of constructing
the road from Tamu to Kalewa to Kalemyo. What are the other infrastructure
projects that have been discussed during the visit of the External Affairs
Minister?</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>We have agreed to the construction of a bridge in Rih,
between Champai (in Mizoram) and Rih. There is a Rhi lake; it's a heart-
shaped lake. People in the area used to cross the border and from that
point onwards, we will construct some roads. We have also been undertaking
feasibility studies from Mizoram to Sittwe (Akyab port) - what we call
the Kaladan river project and Palewa. It will have the chance of providing
Mizoram with a sea outlet and also another place we are talking is Kyaukpyu
- that's a deep sea port.</font>
<p><font size=+1>There are also projects in the field of hydroelectricity,
power projects. One in Tamanthi on the Chindwin River and another project
we are discussing is at Yeywa, near Mandalay.... we covered a lot of areas
(relating to) trade and national crime and also security-related matters
as well cooperation in information technology and industrialisation projects
of our country.</font>
<p><font color="#FF0000"><font size=+1>On the insurgency issue in the north-east
which is of concern to India, there is cooperation between the security
forces of the two countries. Do you think there can be any formal arrangement
in this area or the current arrangement is sufficient?</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>The current arrangement is sufficient. There are mechanisms
between the two armed forces and.... they have been cooperating and also
that there are assurances that our border should become (free) of any insurgency
problem. We will cooperate in this matter.</font>
<p><font color="#FF0000"><font size=+1>Your country straddles both South
Asia and Southeast Asia. You are the link between South Asia and Southeast
Asia and can enjoy the advantages of both. How do you look at this aspect?</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>Let us phrase it in this manner. Look at the map. Yes,
you are correct that we are right in the middle of East and West Asia and
North and South Asia. So, without us you cannot go around and it will not
be possible to go around. We are in the middle and we are a link. So, BIMSTEC
(grouping Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and; Nepal having
observer status) is one area in which we are very interested so that we
can become a link.</font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;There is a good link or bad link. What I mean is
that our country which is the co-founder of the Non-Aligned Movement and
also co- author of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence with China,
India and Myanmar.... and a country which has consistently adhered to its
principled stand of non-alignment.... without any deviation we have been
strictly adhering to that position. That's why we have been isolated ourselves.
And, we didn't want to play in the Cold War games, we don't want our land
to be used by any powers to make any sort of hegemonic movements. That's
why we have tried to isolate ourselves in the past.</font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;Religiously, we are a Buddhist country. We, Buddhists,
have no enemy. We don't regard anybody as a potential enemy.&nbsp; We want
to be peaceful, we want to solve whatever problems which might arise in
a peaceful manner. That's the way of life and way of thinking we have.
I think that's why we can play a big role in cementing from the East and
West and North and South Asia.</font>
<p><font color="#FF0000"><font size=+1>On the issue of democracy, it is
clear that your Government has its own perceptions. Recently, you have
started some talks with the Opposition, how do you see that process?</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;We, in our country, have had a lot of problems since
independence. These problems are not locally-made problems. These problems
are created from outside by our old colonial masters... in 1948-49 after
independence there was a committee in London... to support the fractious
rebellions in our country. Since that time, we had been figthing among
ourselves for most of the time.</font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;We need to stop the fighting, create peace and stability,
we need to create better understanding among our own people. And love each
other. Not in a sort of you-are-this you-are-that; not accusing each other.
We need to find solutions where our people of 135 national races could
live together for ever. And, we are hoping for national reconciliation.</font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;We had in the past 14 years of Parliamentary democracy
which failed. And then socialist-type of economy... for 26 years. Let me
very frankly say that that policy also failed to move our country forward.
These successive Governments might have been able to solve some problems,
but not the fundamental problems of national unity, economic development
to all corners of the country and even social problems are there - education,
health care....</font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;You will be surprised, that in 1975, the road between
Yangon and Mandalay was not safe to travel. At night no traffic at all,
no trains. We have not come out if, we have graduated, we have matured
from that position right now to a more secure and more peaceful atmosphere....</font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;What we need to do is that all the political forces
or political parties or all the people to unite, to have one aim and goal
- that is a democratic nation. In the past, NLD (Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi's
National League for Democracy) has been using a confrontational approach,
denouncing every move of the Government.... this confrontational attitudes
have now stopped and pressure techniques and things like that have been
abandoned.... we hope for ever.</font>
<p><font color="#FF0000"><font size=+1>There is a perception that there
is strategic competition between India and China. Many Western reporters
have written about this. I would just like to get your view of this.</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;The world today is changing. From the bipolar world....
now the Eastern bloc has collapsed.... we have to frankly say that. The
unipolar world is the main player. Now, the direction is towards (a) multipolar
(world). In this process (along) with globalisation, every country has
the responsibility for mankind to create better living conditions for its
citizens.</font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;For instance, India with more than one billion people
has the responsibility to feed its people, to better clothe its people,
to have better shelter and better living conditions... And (the) Chinese
Government also, with 1.2 billion people, they have also to create and
work hard for the better living conditions of their own people.</font>
<p><font size=+1>&nbsp;We, in our country, (need to do) the same thing.
In this world, when our population of the world has crossed six billion,
we should not emphasise only on the rivalry between the powers but we should
try to have cooperation.</font>
<br>&nbsp;
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