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Amid Myanmar's deepening ties with China despite
some problems over the suspension of a China-backed
dam, New Delhi rolled out the red carpet for Myanmar
President U. Thein Sein, who was accorded a ceremonial
reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential
palace.
Manmohan Singh held talks with Myanmar's reformist
president, who was on his maiden visit to India
after taking office six months ago, on a host
of issues, including the intensification of economic,
energy and security cooperation between the two
countries.
Marking a major upsurge in bilateral ties, Manmohan
Singh announced a $500 million line-of-credit
to Myanmar for a slew of development projects,
including irrigation, taking the total soft loan
assistance to over $800 million.
After the talks, the two sides signed a pact
on upgradation of the Yangon Children's Hospital
and Sittwe General Hospital. Another pact was
signed for a programme of cooperation in science
and technology from 2012 to 2015.
In an important step, the two sides agreed on
"enhancing effective cooperation and coordination
between the security forces of the two countries
in tackling the deadly menace of insurgency and
terrorism", a joint statement said.
The leaders of the two countries reiterated that
their territories would not be allowed for insurgent
activities directed against each other.
In the energy sector, where China has stolen
a march over India, Myanmar invited "further
investment from Indian state-run and private sector
companies in off-shore and on-shore blocks and
construction of natural gas pipelines".
India also announced a raft of capacity building
projects that include the setting up of an Advanced
Centre for Agricultural Research and Education
(ACARE) in Yezin, a Rice Bio Park and an IT training
institute in Mandalay. Officials from the two
countries have been asked to look at expanding
air links, railway, ferry and bus services. Both
sides agreed to speed up the launch of ferry services
on the Kolkata-Yangon and Chennai-Yangon routes.
The two decided to speed up the construction
of the India-aided $120 million Sittwe deep water
port, planned as a trade gateway for India's northeastern
states to Southeast Asia, with a view to making
it operational by June 2013. They agreed to start
the road component of the the Kaladan Multi-modal
Transit Transport Project and to open an additional
border trade point on the India-Myanmar border.
Significantly, Manmohan Singh congratulated Thein
Sein on steps taken by him to spur "the transition
towards democratic government" and offered
all necessary assistance in further strengthening
this democratic transition "in an inclusive
and broadbased manner".
Manmohan Singh welcomed the ongoing efforts at
political, economic and social reform in Myanmar
and "expressed readiness to share India's
own experiences in evolving parliamentary rules,
procedures and practices", said the statement.
New Delhi has invited the speaker of the Pyithu
Hluttaw (the lower house of Myanmar's parliament)
to lead a delegation here in December for talks
with Indian parliamentarians.
The embrace of reforms by Myanmar's military-backed
civilian government has cleared the space for
India's deepening of strategic, economic and political
ties with Myanmar. It is not, however, clear whether
New Delhi will use its leverage with Western powers
to persuade them to lift sanctions against Myanmar
to help spur its democratic transformation.
The Thein Sein visit coincided with his government
releasing around 200 political prisoners as part
of a general amnesty, bolstering the new regime's
reformist credentials. Thein Sein has taken a
slew of steps, including the release of Aung San
Suu Kyi from house arrest and launching a dialogue
with her, that has struck a chord both domestically
and internationally.
(IANS)
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