Burmese minister set for talks on c

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Subject: Burmese minister set for talks on conflicts 

Politics 

Burmese minister set for talks on conflicts 

BURMESE Foreign Minister Win Aung will visit Thailand next week to discuss
with
his Thai counterpart, Surin Pitsuwan, interim measures to prevent the
escalation of sea conflicts which have cost at least two lives since December,
informed sources said. 

It was not revealed what those measures will be but Thai authorities had
earlier proposed a joint naval patrol and dispatching a Burmese officer to be
stationed at the Fisheries Centre in Thailand's Ranong province. 

According to the source, Win Aung will arrive in Bangkok on Feb 19 after his
visit to Singapore as part of an official tour of Asean countries. He will
hold
talks with Surin on Feb 20. 

Win Aung, who replaced U Ohn Gyaw after a major cabinet reshuffle last
November, will also call on Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and will seek an
audience with His Majesty the King on Feb 20. 

A tentative trip to Ranong is also being included in the itinerary so that
Surin and Win Aung can have a first-hand opportunity to seek closer
cooperation
and prevent escalation of conflicts at sea. 

Three incidents of armed confrontations between Thai naval officers protecting
Thai trawlers and heavily-armed Burmese vessels since December have
resulted in
violence and loss of lives. 

The most recent incident happened on Sunday southwest of Koh Chang-an off
Ranong province but there were no casualties. 
Although the two countries have established ''a hotline'' at the foreign
ministerial level, Surin was not able to talk to Win Aung on Monday on the
latest incident because the Burmese minister was out of town. 

Thai and Burmese officials are scheduled to hold a Regional Border Committee
meeting in mid-March to try to resolve the issue, however the two ministers
are
expected to discuss some ''interim measures'', the source said. 
According to the source, Surin and Win Aung will also prepare for Burmese
Prime
Minister Than Shwe's visit to Thailand in March. 

BY RITA PATIYASEVI 
The Nation