ABC News, Myanmar may restore Thai fishing licences-minister

[TIN KYI <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

ABC News, 20 March 2000
Myanmar may restore Thai fishing licences-minister

YANGON, March 20 (Reuters) - Thai Agriculture Minister  Pongpol Adireksan
said on Monday Myanmar was considering  restoring fishing rights for Thai
trawlers suspended since a  siege at Yangon's Bangkok embassy last year.
Pongpol, heading a 20-member Thai delegation to neighbouring  Myanmar, said
he had held talks on fishing and forestry with  counterparts in Yangon.
"The Myanmar side has agreed in principle to restore the  rights of Thai
trawlers," he said. "They are considering  restoring the licences after
sorting out some technical  matters."
The technical matters he referred to were apparently  complaints from the
Myanmar side about abuses of fishing  licences and overfishing by Thai
trawlers.
"They not only use very effective modern fishing gear, but  also cheat us by
using one licence for more than a trawler,"  one Myanmar trawler owner told
Reuters.
Asked about the concerns, Pongpol said Thailand and Myanmar  had agreed to
set up a monitoring system to check trawlers.
He also said the two sides agreed to continue trade in logs  and sawn
timber, which has drawn criticism from environmental  activists.
Myanmar authorities cancelled fishing licences for Thai  trawlers in October
1999 after the Thai government allowed five  anti-Yangon activists who
seized the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok  for 24 hours free passage to a border
sanctuary.
The ban has cost the Thai fishing fleet tens of millions of  dollars.
Pongpol said he was satisfied with his visit.
"I always see things from the bright side and I believe our  visit will pave
the way for further cooperation. Myanmar is an  important neighbour for
Thailand."