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The 11th Home Secretary level meeting between India and Myanmar was held at Yangon, Myanmar today. The Indian delegation was led by the Union Home Secretary, Shri V.K. Duggal and the Myanmar delegation by their Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Brig-Gen. Phone Swe.
At the meeting, issues relating to security, drug trafficking, border trade, border management and proposed infrastructure projects in Myanmar were discussed. Both sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in tackling the activities of insurgents, arms smugglers, drug traffickers and other hostile elements along the India-Myanmar border. The status of various infrastructure projects in Myanmar particularly in road and power sectors over which the two countries have agreed to cooperate was also reviewed at this meeting. It was agreed that, when completed, these infrastructure projects would help in economic development of the border areas and would also promote greater movement and interaction of people across the border.
The Myanmar side requested sympathetic consideration to their fishermen who cross maritime boundary inadvertently. The Union Home Secretary suggested that a Working Group at the level of the Foreign Office of the two Governments and consisting of their respective Security Forces may examine the steps needed to evolve a mechanism so that the innocent fishermen from both sides who drift inadvertently into the territorial waters of the other side may not be put to undue hardships. All efforts would be made to ensure that the report of this Working Group is available before the next national level meeting.
The Home Secretary also suggested that in future, issues likely to be discussed at the national level meetings be exchanged between the two sides at least three months in advance so that the discussions at the meeting could be more specific and fruitful.
On India’s request, the Myanmar side also agreed to look into the release of five Indian nationals, who were arrested by the Myanmar Army in June, 2005.
The Indian delegation called on the Myanmar Home Minister, Maj-Gen. Maung Oo today. At this meeting, both sides agreed to further strengthen their cooperation for curbing drug trafficking. The Myanmar Home Minister assured the Home Secretary that arms smugglers would be severely punished if caught on Myanmar soil.
The discussions were held in a very warm and cordial atmosphere. Both sides expressed the view that deliberations held at this meeting would further strengthen the friendship between the two countries.
OK/RK/MM
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