Senior Myanmar Gen to arrive tomorrow

New Delhi, Apr 1 (UNI) India and Myanmar will sign an agreement here tomorrow for a multi-modal transport project during the State visit of the Southeast Asian nation's second most powerful man.

Myanmar's Vice Senior General Maung Aye who arrives here tomorrow on a five-day State visit to India, will have discussions with Indian leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of Opposion L K Advani.

He will also call on President Pratibha Patil and meet Vice President Hamid Ansari and Chief of Army Staff Gen Deepak Kapoor.

The discussions will cover regional and international issues.

Bilateral matters like energy, security, economic cooperation and connectivity will also be taken up during the discussions.

Sources said India will take up the issue of democracy in Myanmar which witnessed violent pro-democracy porotests recently.

After talks between the Prime Minister and Gen Maung Aye tomorrow, the two countries are expected to sign the 110 million US Dollar Kaladan multi-modal transport project that will open up India's Northeastern region to the oputside world.

India will contribute about 100 million US dollars for the project while Myanmar will chip in 10 million US Dollars.

The agreement has already been finalised after extensive discussions between the two countries.

India came under sharp criticism recently for not exerting enough pressure on the military junta in Myanmar to usher in democracy. However, India has maintained that coersion would not be helpful in bringing in democracy in the Southeast Asian nation.

India has already approved Rs 536 crore for the Kaladan project for upgradation of Sittwe Port and Kaladan Waterway.

Gen Maung Aye who arrives here in the morning, will meet the External Affairs Minister in the afternoon.

It will be followed by a call on by the Army Chief.

He will call on the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan which will be followed by official talks with the Prime Minister and a meeting with the Vice President. The meetings will be followed by the signing of agreements.

The next day, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani will call on the Myanmar leader.

On April 4, Gen Maung Aye will visit Bhopal, Sanchi, Jamnagar and Bangalore.

The next day he will also visit Varanasi, Sarnath and Gaya. In the afternoon, he will leave for Nay Pyi Taw from Gaya.

UNI RB AE VC2036