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VOA : BURMA-NORTH KOREA / ARMS
Voice of America
DATE=8/4/98
BURMA-NORTH KOREA / ARMS
AMY BICKERS (HONG KONG)
INTRO: THE MAGAZINE "JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY" SAYS NORTH KOREA HAS
SOLD ARTILLERY PIECES TO BURMA. AMY BICKERS REPORTS FROM THE
V-O-A ASIA NEWS CENTER, THE DEAL WAS REPORTEDLY BROKERED BY
CHINA.
TEXT: THERE ARE SIGNS RELATIONS BETWEEN NORTH KOREA AND BURMA
MAY BE IMPROVING. ACCORDING TO "JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY", RANGOON
RECENTLY BOUGHT 20 ARTILLERY PIECES FROM PYONGYANG.
IT IS REPORTEDLY THE FIRST TRADE TRANSACTION BETWEEN THE TWO
SINCE 1983. IN THAT YEAR NORTH KOREAN ASSASSINS KILLED FOUR
MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH KOREAN CABINET WHO WERE VISITING BURMA. THE
BOMB THEY PLANTED ALSO KILLED 11 OTHERS. DIPLOMATIC TIES HAVE
NOT BEEN RESTORED SINCE THEN.
ACCORDING TO "JANE'S", CHINA IS BELIEVED TO HAVE ARRANGED THE
DEAL FOR THE 130-MILLIMETER FIELD GUNS. PAUL BEAVER, SPOKESMAN
FOR JANES INFORMATION GROUP, OWNER OF "JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY",
SAYS THE SIZE OF THE DEAL IS NOT WHAT MATTERS. HE SAYS IT
REFLECTS CHINA'S GOOD REPUTATION WITH BURMESE AUTHORITIES .
/// BEAVER ACT ///
CHINA HAS FOR A LONG TIME, PERHAPS A DECADE NOW, BEEN
INVOLVED IN VERY CLOSE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE BURMESE
AUTHORITIES. THEY ARE INVOLVED IN THE SETTING UP OF A
RADAR AND SURVEILLANCE STATION, CREATING PORT FACILITIES
AND SETTING UP A RAILWAY LINK DIRECTLY INTO CHINA.
EVERYTHING IN FACT THE CHINESE HAVE WANTED TO DO FOR
CENTURIES, TO GET ACCESS TO THE INDIAN OCEAN. AND
THROUGH BURMA THEY APPEAR TO HAVE GOT THAT.
/// END ACT ///
MR. BEAVER SAYS THIS SALE IS THE FIRST SUBSTANTIVE PROOF THAT
CHINA IS TRYING TO BRING BURMA AND NORTH KOREA TOGETHER. HE ALSO
OBSERVES THAT AFTER 15-YEARS OF STRAINED RELATIONS BETWEEN
PYONGYANG AND RANGOON, IT SHOWS HOW MUCH NORTH KOREA NEEDS MONEY.
HE BELIEVES DESPERATION MAY DRIVE NORTH KOREA TO SELL WEAPONS TO
OTHER STATES THAT TRADITIONAL ARMS-SELLING NATIONS AVOID.
/// BEAVER ACT ///
IT SEEMS THE NORTH KOREANS ARE EXERTING INFLUENCE WHERE
THEY CAN AT THE MOMENT, AND ALSO TRYING TO GET AS MANY
DEFENSE SALES AS THEY CAN TO TRY AND BRING FOREIGN
CURRENCY INTO THE COUNTRY, BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC
SITUATION. THEY CLAIM THEY ARE LOOKING AT ALL POSSIBLE
EXPORT MARKETS INCLUDING IRAN AND PAKISTAN, BECAUSE THEY
NEED THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE TO BUY FOOD.
MR. BEAVER SAYS THE SALE ALSO HAS ADVANTAGES FOR BURMA, WHICH
CANNOT BUY WEAPONS FROM MANY NATIONS.
/// BEAVER ACT ///
BURMA IS SUFFERING FROM AN ARMS EMBARGO FROM JUST ABOUT
EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, AND IT HAS A REQUIREMENT FOR
ARTILLERY PIECES BECAUSE IT IS FIGHTING TWO INSURGENCY
WARS IN THE STATES IN THE NORTH OF THE COUNTRY, ONE
AGAINST THE KAREN PEOPLE, AND ONE AGAINST DRUG BARONS.
/// END ACT ///
MILITARY ANALYSTS SAY THE ARTILLERY BURMA PURCHASED IS NOT IDEAL
FOR THESE CONFLICTS, BECAUSE THE FIGHTING DOES NOT TAKE PLACE IN
FIXED POSITIONS. STILL,THE WEAPONS WHICH HAVE A RUSSIAN DESIGN
ARE EASY TO MANEUVER. THEY CAN BE DRAGGED BEHIND A TRUCK,
MOUNTED ON A VEHICLE OR HANDLED BY SOLDIERS OVER SHORT DISTANCES.
ANALYSTS SAY THE NEWS OF THIS PURCHASE IS SURE TO UPSET OFFICIALS
IN THAILAND, SINCE THESE GUNS COULD HYPOTHETICALLY BE TURNED
AGAINST THE THOUSANDS OF BURMESE REBELS LIVING ALONG THE THAI
BORDER.
IT IS ALSO BOUND TO CONCERN ANOTHER BURMESE NEIGHBOR -- INDIA.
OFFICIALS THERE ARE SAID TO BE WATCHING, AS BURMA ATTEMPTS TO
MODERNIZE ITS ARMED FORCES, BECAUSE OF RANGOON'S CLOSE
RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA -- AND CHINA'S TIES TO INDIA'S RIVAL
PAKISTAN. (SIGNED)
NEB/AB/FC/RAE
04-Aug-98 7:33 AM EDT (1133 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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