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Navy chief to visit Myanmar after a



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Navy chief to visit Myanmar after a break of 20 years

The Times of India (New Delhi)
January 16, 2001

NEW DELHI: Chief of Naval staff Admiral Sushil Kumar is leaving on a
three-day official visit to Myanmar on Tuesday, the first by an Indian
naval chief in almost 20 years. Although expected to be high on
atmospherics, the visit is in keeping with the country's new pragmatic
policy to improve ties with the Yangon military junta. "It is basically
a return goodwill visit that has been hanging fire for some time and has
had to be rescheduled thrice earlier. But we hope to begin picking up
strings from where we left off many years ago," said a source.

The past few years have witnessed a series of visits between the two
countries, the last being in November last year when Vice-Chairman of
the ruling State Peace and Development Council Gen Maung Aye led a
high-level official delegation on a week's trip to India. That was his
second visit last year. Gen Aye had visited Shillong in January last
year in his capacity as Army chief, a day after the then Army chief, Gen
VP Malik, visited Myanmar.

During Gen Aye's November visit, New Delhi was particularly happy with
Myanmar foreign minister U Win Aung's statement that Myanmar would not
allow any outside power to use its territory against India for either
setting up military bases or for passage of arms. He was referring to
both large-scale Chinese military (and economic) assistance to Myanmar
supported by a trade regime that promoted extensive border trade and to
insurgent groups active in the North-East.

In fact, the alarming proportions of insurgency and narcotics trade
along with China's substantial military assistance had led Nerw Delhi to
establish quiet contacts with the Myanmar military junta in 1993.
Consequently, agreements were signed to deal with both cross-border
terrorism and narcotics smuggling, and also to promote trade along the
1,600-km Indo-Myanmar border. In 1995, the two armies had mounted a
largest ever-coordinated military operation along the Manipur, Mizoram
and Nagaland borders. In keeping with India's policy of engagement, the
BRO has recently finished constructing a 144-km highway in Myanmar
linking Tamu, located near the Manipur border, to Kalemyo. Discussions
have been on for extending the highway by another 160-km and to develop
a hydro-electric potential of the Chinduin river.



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<html>
<b><font size=+2>Navy chief to visit Myanmar after a break of 20 years</font></b>
<p>The Times of India (New Delhi)
<br>January 16, 2001
<p><b>NEW DELHI:</b> Chief of Naval staff Admiral Sushil Kumar is leaving
on a three-day official visit to Myanmar on Tuesday, the first by an Indian
naval chief in almost 20 years. Although expected to be high on atmospherics,
the visit is in keeping with the country's new pragmatic policy to improve
ties with the Yangon military junta. "It is basically a return goodwill
visit that has been hanging fire for some time and has had to be rescheduled
thrice earlier. But we hope to begin picking up strings from where we left
off many years ago," said a source.
<p>The past few years have witnessed a series of visits between the two
countries, the last being in November last year when Vice-Chairman of the
ruling State Peace and Development Council Gen Maung Aye led a high-level
official delegation on a week's trip to India. That was his second visit
last year. Gen Aye had visited Shillong in January last year in his capacity
as Army chief, a day after the then Army chief, Gen VP Malik, visited Myanmar.
<p>During Gen Aye's November visit, New Delhi was particularly happy with
Myanmar foreign minister U Win Aung's statement that Myanmar would not
allow any outside power to use its territory against India for either setting
up military bases or for passage of arms. He was referring to both large-scale
Chinese military (and economic) assistance to Myanmar supported by a trade
regime that promoted extensive border trade and to insurgent groups active
in the North-East.
<p>In fact, the alarming proportions of insurgency and narcotics trade
along with China's substantial military assistance had led Nerw Delhi to
establish quiet contacts with the Myanmar military junta in 1993. Consequently,
agreements were signed to deal with both cross-border terrorism and narcotics
smuggling, and also to promote trade along the 1,600-km Indo-Myanmar border.
In 1995, the two armies had mounted a largest ever-coordinated military
operation along the Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland borders. In keeping with
India's policy of engagement, the BRO has recently finished constructing
a 144-km highway in Myanmar linking Tamu, located near the Manipur border,
to Kalemyo. Discussions have been on for extending the highway by another
160-km and to develop a hydro-electric potential of the Chinduin river.
<p>&nbsp;</html>

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