The Hindu : Myanmar proposes BIMSTEC summit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2003

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National

Myanmar proposes BIMSTEC summit

By C. Raja Mohan

The Foreign Minister of Myanmar, Win Aung, with the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, in New Delhi on Tuesday. — Photo: Anu Pushkarna

NEW DELHI Jan. 21. The Foreign Minister of Myanmar, Win Aung, today proposed a summit- level meeting of leaders from South and South-East Asia to accelerate economic cooperation between the two regions.

In his meeting with the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, he suggested that BIMSTEC, a regional organisation that brings together Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand, convene at the summit level in 2004.

At a moment when the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is making no headway, the proposal from Myanmar gives India a valuable opportunity to kickstart alternative approaches to promote regional economic integration.

Earlier, delivering the annual lecture of the Association of Indian Diplomats at the Indian Council of World Affairs here, Mr. Win Aung emphasised the importance of elevating the discussions at BIMSTEC to a higher political level. Although the BIMSTEC was set up in the late 1990s and frequent ministerial meetings have taken place, he said, "we had not moved fast enough''. A summit-level meeting, he hoped, would generate the much needed political impetus for the regional organisation. "Let us work together and prosper'', he urged.

As Pakistan blocks the progress on creating free trade arrangements under the SAARC, India has been looking at a variety of other options including sub-regional cooperation under SAARC and trans-regional economic integration under BIMSTEC. Myanmar's proposal for a BIMSTEC summit is naturally welcome in New Delhi.

Pointing to the huge potential for bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, the Myanmar Foreign Minister said Indian companies interested in developing the huge hydrocarbon potential in Myanmar are welcome. ONGC Videsh and GAIL, along with Korean corporations Daewoo and Kogas, are exploring the A-1 block off the Rakhine coast of Myanmar in northern Bay of Bengal. Mr. Win Aung said this block has "very good potential''. He is also believed to have told the Indian Government that Indian companies could now begin on-shore exploration in Myanmar. A technical team from India is expected to go shortly to Myanmar.

He also said he was here to review progress in the various projects on transport corridors linking the two nations and providing India access to its remote North-East and South-East Asia.

Asked about the Chinese plans for linking Yunnan province in South-West China with the Bay of Bengal through the Irrawaddy corridor, Mr. Win Aung said discussions between the two countries is under way and no agreement has yet been reached.

He and the External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, agreed yesterday to have regular consultations between the two foreign offices.

Mr. Win Aung invited Mr. Sinha to visit Myanmar at an early date.

India conveyed its appreciation to Myanmar for its cooperation in countering terrorism in the region and refusing to give shelter to forces hostile to India.

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