India, Myanmar to strengthen border surveillance

New Delhi, Sept 16: Amid reports of Indian insurgent groups operating from neighbouring countries, India and Myanmar today decided to tighten surveillance across the border to plug movement of "undesirable elements," weapons and drugs.

Briefing mediapersons on the deliberations of the four-day-long Home Secretary-level talks between the two countries, Indian delegation led by Home Secretary V K Duggal said the 12th annual meeting had further deepened the understanding on issues relating to security, drug trafficking and effective border management.

"The major focus of the discussion was security," he said.

Mr Duggal said security issues that figured in the meeting included activities of "undesirable elements" against the interests of each other and arms smuggling. Border management issues, including maintenance of border pillars, border fencing and rationalisation of free movement regime between the two countries were also discussed in detail, he added.

On a question relating to Indian insurgent groups operating from Myanmar soil, Mr Duggal said the highlight of the discussions was that both the countries had agreed to tighten the surveillance on the borders so that the "menace" affecting the two nations countries was plugged.

At the end of the meeting, Mr Duggal and Myanmar delegation chief Brig Gen Phone Swe, Deputy Minister of Home, signed an eight-page bilateral agreement on issues of mutual interests in security and border management. India has accepted Myanmar's request to provide training to civil servants and police officers of that country.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who met the Myanmar delegation the other day, has extended an invitation to his Myanmar counterpart to visit New Delhi to further strengthen the bilateral relations.

To a question on drug trafficking, he said though there were such instances across the border with Myanmar, the menace was not as acute as with borders with other the countries.

Maj Gen Swe said decisions on promoting bilateral cooperation between the two countries would be followed up and implemented. "The bilateral relationship, friendship and understanding between the two countries has been growing because of the far sightedness of the two nations," he added.

The next meeting will be held in Myanmar.

UNI