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BKK Post-Rangoon accepts hotline pr



Subject: BKK Post-Rangoon accepts hotline proposal

THAILAND - BURMA
Rangoon accepts hotline proposal
Bid to prevent naval clashes

Burma has agreed to a Thai proposal on setting up a hotline for
communications at the ministerial level to prevent future naval clashes
between the two countries, Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Kitti Wasinond
said yesterday.

Burmese Foreign Minister Win Aung expressed his consent over the direct
channel linking the Thai and Burmese foreign ministries in his Tuesday
letter to his counterpart Surin Pitsuwan.

The letter followed a meeting between Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign
Affairs Sawanit Kongsiri and Burmese Ambassador Hla Maung on Monday to
discuss a series of clashes of Thai and Burmese vessels in disputed waters
which took place since late December and left damage and casualties on both
sides.

Bangkok asked Rangoon to consider Thai proposals for joint patrols, the
setting up of the hotline, and the stationing of Burmese liaison officials
at the border coordination centre in Ranong to prevent future clashes.

Thailand wanted to discuss the proposals at the next Regional Border
Committee, chaired by army regional commanders, to be held in March in
Phuket.

But aside from establishing the hotline, U Win Aung did not state the
Burmese position on the two other proposals, according to the deputy
spokesman.

Mr Kitti quoted U Win Aung as saying in the letter establishing the hotline
at the top level between the two ministries will effectively serve the
purpose of preventing incidents in the ill-demarcated sea boundary better
than the usual diplomatic channels.

He said that recent clashes in the seas were "undesirable," and both sides
should "exercise restraint to prevent similar incidents and
misunderstandings between the two countries."

Meanwhile, the Burmese foreign minister agreed to visit Thailand at Mr
Surin's invitation, he said.

Mr Surin made the invitation while both attended the summit of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Vietnam last month.

They would discuss border demarcation, trade and economics cooperation and
narcotics suppression during the visit tentatively set in March or April, Mr
Kitti said.


Appointed last November to replace former foreign minister Ohn Gyaw, U Win
Aung will be the first senior Burmese official to officially visit Thailand
after Thai-Burmese relations deteriorated in recent years.