Home Sec V K Duggal to visit Myanmar from tomorrow

New Delhi, Feb 12 (UNI) A high-level Indian delegation led by Home Secretary V K Duggal would visit Myanmar from tomorrow to discuss bilateral issues of concern including security, border management and drug trafficking with the neighbouring country.

During the four-day visit, Mr Duggal would hold the annual Home Secretary level talks with his counterpart, Brig Gen Phon Swe, Deputy Home Minister of Myanmar. These annual talks are held in a regular manner between the two countries. The last round of talks was held in New Delhi when the Myanmar delegation visited India in September rptg September last year.

The issue of India to aid the development of Myanmar's Sittwe port at a cost of 103 million dollars to give the land-locked northeastern states access to the sea for trade and commerce may also figure in the bilateral talks.

The government has already agreed in principle to develop the port and the Cabinet approval in this regard is likely to come soon.

Their will be done after developing Kaladan river, which connects the northeastern state of Mizoram with the Bay of Bengal, as a waterway.

India wants to give the northeast access to the sea and international trade.

The India-Myanmar bilateral cooperation has increased in the recent time with senior functionaries of both the countries visiting each other. The strategic importance of Myanmar for India has increased recently as it was the only neighbour who is member of ASEAN so under its 'Look East policy' India is trying to develop relations with Myanmar. The possibility of Myanmar-India gas pipeline may also be discussed durign the visit.

During the four-day visit the issue of ULFA leaders taking shelter in Myanmar may also come up for discussion. The Myanmar government has assured full cooperation to India in dealing with insurgency.

Earlier, a series of high-level bilateral political and military exchanges took place between the two sides beginning with the October 2004 visit to India by Senior General Than Shwe, head of Myanmar's military-run Government. In March 2006, President A P J Abdul Kalam visited Yangon. Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister Shivraj Patil have also gone there.

This was followed by the visit of General Thura Shwe Mann, third in the official hierarchy of the State Peace and Development Council to India and also that of the Myanmar Home Minister Maung Oo.

UNI