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Reuters-Myanmar admits border clash



Subject: Reuters-Myanmar admits border clash but blames rebels 

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Myanmar admits border clash but blames rebels=20
12:20 a.m. Dec 31, 1999 Eastern=20
BANGKOK, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government has admitted =
there was an armed clash along its border with Bangladesh this week but =
has said it involved a rebel group, not its own troops as claimed by =
Dhaka.=20

A Myanmar government spokesman said a group of 20 armed men from the =
dissident Arakan Army crossed over the border on December 27 and opened =
fire on a security outpost.=20

A 15-minute exchange of small arms fire and grenade launchers ensued =
before the Arakans retreated back across the border, the spokesman said =
in a statement faxed to Reuters late on Thursday.=20

The Myanmar statement came after Bangladesh said there had been a =
``three-hour exchange'' on Tuesday, which Dhaka said involved Myanmar =
government's official frontier force, or Nasaka.=20

Bangladesh authorities said the Myanmar side fired across the border on =
a frontier camp maintained by its Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) at Tumbru, 65 =
km (40 miles) southeast of Cox's Bazar resort town ``without any =
provocation.''=20

``The Nasaka used heavy machine guns while BDR silenced them with =
mortars,'' a Bangladesh army officer told Reuters on Wednesday.=20

Myanmar had previously denied the reports of exchanges of fire on its =
border with Bangladesh and claimed they were ``amusing but annoying'' =
rumours circulated by people ``out to create misunderstanding between =
two friendly neighbours.''=20

``OUTLAWED ARAKAN ARMY''=20

But Yangon's latest message blamed the trouble on ``the men from the =
outlawed Arakan Army.''=20

``This incident was reported to the Bangladesh authorities at a flag =
meeting on December 29,'' it said.=20

``The Myanmar and Bangladesh authorities are working together in =
cooperation to maintain peace, stability and friendship between the two =
countries.=20

``It is regretful to learn that the whole incident has been blown out of =
proportion and fabricated by those with vested interest(s),'' it said.=20

The Myanmar statement said there had been no reports of casualties on =
either side.=20

Bangladeshi security officials said on Thursday the two sides had made =
progress towards reconciliation at their meeting.=20

Cross border shooting incidents are not uncommon between the two sides, =
often accompanied by Bangladeshi allegations of intrusions by Myanmar =
forces into its territory.=20





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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT size=3D+1><STRONG>Myanmar admits =
border clash=20
but blames rebels</STRONG></FONT> <BR>12:20 a.m. Dec 31, 1999 Eastern=20
<P>BANGKOK, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government has =
admitted there=20
was an armed clash along its border with Bangladesh this week but has =
said it=20
involved a rebel group, not its own troops as claimed by Dhaka.=20
<P>A Myanmar government spokesman said a group of 20 armed men from the=20
dissident Arakan Army crossed over the border on December 27 and opened =
fire on=20
a security outpost.=20
<P>A 15-minute exchange of small arms fire and grenade launchers ensued =
before=20
the Arakans retreated back across the border, the spokesman said in a =
statement=20
faxed to Reuters late on Thursday.=20
<P>The Myanmar statement came after Bangladesh said there had been a=20
``three-hour exchange'' on Tuesday, which Dhaka said involved Myanmar=20
government's official frontier force, or Nasaka.=20
<P>Bangladesh authorities said the Myanmar side fired across the border =
on a=20
frontier camp maintained by its Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) at Tumbru, 65 km =
(40=20
miles) southeast of Cox's Bazar resort town ``without any provocation.'' =

<P>``The Nasaka used heavy machine guns while BDR silenced them with =
mortars,''=20
a Bangladesh army officer told Reuters on Wednesday.=20
<P>Myanmar had previously denied the reports of exchanges of fire on its =
border=20
with Bangladesh and claimed they were ``amusing but annoying'' rumours=20
circulated by people ``out to create misunderstanding between two =
friendly=20
neighbours.''=20
<P>``OUTLAWED ARAKAN ARMY''=20
<P>But Yangon's latest message blamed the trouble on ``the men from the =
outlawed=20
Arakan Army.''=20
<P>``This incident was reported to the Bangladesh authorities at a flag =
meeting=20
on December 29,'' it said.=20
<P>``The Myanmar and Bangladesh authorities are working together in =
cooperation=20
to maintain peace, stability and friendship between the two countries.=20
<P>``It is regretful to learn that the whole incident has been blown out =
of=20
proportion and fabricated by those with vested interest(s),'' it said.=20
<P>The Myanmar statement said there had been no reports of casualties on =
either=20
side.=20
<P>Bangladeshi security officials said on Thursday the two sides had =
made=20
progress towards reconciliation at their meeting.=20
<P>Cross border shooting incidents are not uncommon between the two =
sides, often=20
accompanied by Bangladeshi allegations of intrusions by Myanmar forces =
into its=20
territory.=20
<P><BR></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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