Wednesday, November 6, 2024
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Northeast steals the limelight at Indo-Myanmar talks

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From CK Nayak

 Nay Pyi Taw (Mynamar): Be it insurgency, connectivity, trade or even cultural exchange, it was the Northeast region which dominated the bilateral talks between visiting Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Myanmar President U Thein Sein here on Monday.

But at the end of the talks both the countries achieved a sort of landmark understanding not to allow each other’s territory by the forces inimical to the other’s interest. Insurgents of all hues but mainly NSCN (K) use the bordering areas.

“Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to fight the scourge of terrorism and insurgent activity in all its forms and manifestations. Both of them emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation between security forces and border guarding agencies for securing peace, security and stability in the border areas, which was crucial for overall development,” Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said after the talks.

Dr Singh and U Thein alluded to the importance of sound border management as an intrinsic part of maintaining border security, Mathai said.

As far as connectivity is concerned the two leaders emphasised importance of enhancing links between the two countries as a means of promoting commercial, cultural, touristic and other exchanges between the peoples. They expressed satisfaction at the steady progress being made on the Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project.

The MoU relating to India-Myanmar Border Area Development envisages Indian assistance to set up schools, community areas and health centres across the border. India has successfully tried this model of development in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka and is going to replicate it for Myanmar, Indian officials said.

The agreement on border area development has important implications for security concerns of India as economic prosperity in those areas is expected to address the issue of insurgency.

Myanmar shares a 1640-km-long border with four northeastern states — Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh — whose insurgents often take shelter across the international border.

They welcomed the finalisation of the site of the Land Customs Station at Zorinpui (Mizoram) following joint inspection by Indian and Myanmar delegations last month. It was noted that the project would enhance bilateral trade, people to people contact and contribute to the development and prosperity of the people living in the ‘land locked’ Northeastern region, a joint statement issued at the end of the talks said.

As a step forward Dr Singh announced that India would undertake the task of repair and upgradation of 71 bridges on the Tamu- Kalewa friendship Road. The two leaders decided that India would undertake the upgradation of the Kalewa-Yargyi road segment to highway standard while Myanmar would undertake upgradation of the Yargyi-Monywa stretch to highway standard by 2016.

This project would help in establishing tri-lateral connectivity from Moreh in India to Mae Sot in Thailand via Myanmar.

The two leaders welcomed the revival of the Joint Task Force on the Trilateral Highway between India-Myanmar–Thailand. It was agreed that efforts would be made to establish seamless trilateral connectivity by 2016.

Dr Singh, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Myanmar in 25 years since Rajiv Gandhi’s trip in December 1987, held restricted talks with U Thein before the two leaders led their respective delegations for discussions on a range of bilateral, regional and international issues. Earlier, Dr Singh, who is accompanied by External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and senior officials, was given a ceremonial on the lawns of the Presidential Palace.

Ahead of the Prime Minister’s talks with President U Thein, Krishna set the ball rolling when he said that both India and Myanmar are facing terrorism and insurgency and hence ‘it is necessary that both of us work out a joint strategy as to how to meet with these terror elements’. His remarks came in the backdrop of Myanmar government signing a ceasefire with Naga insurgent group NSCN (K) and India expressing happiness over the development.

Krishna stressed on the economic content of India’s relationship with Myanmar saying ‘this too is equally important. Myanmar is a developing country like India. They have come out of some problems internally and now they seem to be settling down and it is about time for them to devote time and to launch a developmental agenda, I think people of Myanmar need India’s assistance and India would be willing to assist them’.

Asked about growing Chinese presence in Myanmar, Krishna said: “Each country has its own relationship. Myanmar has its relationship with China, India has its relationship with China. So, let us not mix up issues and each relationship stands independent of each other, on a pedestal created over a period of time and history.”

On cultural front both the countries will have cultural exchanges mainly in the Northeast which share a similar history and geography.

India and Myanmar will also have joint programmes involving Buddhism which is a common religion in both the countries.

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