Won’t allow insurgent groups to use our territory against India: Myanmar
23 Aug 2016 10:33 PM GMT
The Indian Army had carried out a major operation against these groups in June last year along the Indo-Myanmar border. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who arrived here on a day-long visit, held talks with Myanmarese leaders on key bilateral issues, including cross-border activities by certain insurgent groups.
“The Myanmar leadership assured that they will not allow any insurgent groups to use its territory for action against India, (that) they all recognised (India) is a friendly country which has stood by people of Myanmar and they look forward to a very productive partnership with India as Myanmar continues on its journey of peace, progress and development,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
Swaraj’s visit also comes just days after the Indian Army had an encounter with NSCN-K militants in Nagaland who were trying to enter the country from Myanmar. While reports suggested that the Indian Army had crossed over to Myanmar, it was officially denied by India.
In the first high-level visit from India after the civilian government assumed office here, Swaraj called on President U Htin Kyaw and held extensive talks with State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi during which she conveyed India’s commitment of “all help” to the new government.
Describing India as a friendly country, Myanmarese President told Swaraj that he looks forward to a “very productive partnership”. Swaraj also discussed with the Myanmarese leadership how India can help in Myanmar's development efforts.
They discussed a number of areas of possible collaboration such as power. India is already supplying 3 MW electricity to Myanmar through the Moreh-Tamu link but this can be further upgraded, Swarup said.
Congratulating Suu Kyi on her party's victory in the “first genuine election”, Swaraj assured her of “all help”.
“India is committed to strengthening your democratic institutions and socio-economic development of your people,” Swaraj said during her meeting with Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy party won a historic landslide election last year that finally brought an end to five decades of military rule.
Swaraj said this was the message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee.
Both sides also agreed to work together to identify new areas of cooperation where there is much untapped potential
This includes areas such as agriculture, especially pulses, power, renewable energy, skill development, health, education, transport and social welfare, sources said
India is already supplying 3 MW of electricity to Myanmar through the Moreh-Tamu link from the northeastern state of Manipur
This is the first Cabinet-level visit from India to Myanmar after Suu Kyi’s National League for
Democracy (NLD) assumed power in March this year, a gesture that Myanmar leaders have appreciated, the sources said
Ready to extend ‘all help’ to Myanmar, says Swaraj
India is ready to give “all help” was the message given to the Myanmarese leadership by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is here on the first high-level visit after the new government came to power in March following decades of military rule. Swaraj, who called on President U Htin Kyaw, also held talks with State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi.
Congratulating Suu Kyi for the victory in the “first genuine election”, Swaraj assured her of “all help”.
“India is committed to strengthening your democratic institutions and socio-economic development of your people,” Swaraj said during her meeting with Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy party won a historic landslide poll last year that finally brought an end to five decades of military rule.
Swaraj said this was the message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee.
The one-day trip by Swaraj, accompanied by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and other senior Ministry of External Affairs officials, is the first high-level visit from India since the civilian government took over earlier this year.
Suu Kyi, the de facto leader of Myanmar and a Nobel laureate, besides being a democracy icon, thanked Swaraj for the support.
Banned from becoming president by a junta-era Constitution, Suu Kyi has a strong control over the country’s first civilian-led government.
The Constitution effectively bans her from the top post as it rules out anyone with foreign-born children or spouses from becoming president. Suu Kyi married and had two sons with a British national. The military also retains control of the key home, defence and border affairs ministries, while 25 per cent of parliamentary seats are reserved for unelected soldiers.
Incidentally, Swaraj’s visit comes just days after Suu Kyi made a high-profile trip to China.
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