Modi said “we are deeply honored” that Myanmar’s president chose India for his “first bilateral state visit abroad” since being appointed in March after Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won a landslide general election following decades of military rule.
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Suu Kyi has confirmed she will attend an outreach BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in the western Indian state of Goa in October.
The Myanmarese President is accompanied by his wife, Daw Su Su Lwin, and a high-level delegation comprising several key ministers and top officials.
Annan will advise Myanmar’s new government on resolving conflicts in Rakhine, a region divided on religious grounds and home to the stateless Muslim Rohingya.
I have also conveyed Indias full support to the peace process initiative under the 21st Century Panglong Conference.
Four agreements, including the agreement pertaining to the construction of 69 bridges on the Tamu-Kalewa section of the trilateral highway connecting India, Myanmar and Thailand, were inked at the end of talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw. Both sides are also likely to discuss ways to boost trade ties.
“We hope to take the commercial aspect of our relationship to a completely new level”, she said, noting that sanctions imposed on Myanmar by the USA and others are being lifted.
On being asked if the widely reported incident of a “surgical strike” by the Indian army inside the Myanmar territory on Naga insurgent groups last week could be a point of discussion, Ranganathan said the Indian army never entered Myanmar territory.
“We are also ready to restore other historic monuments and pagodas, which were damaged in the natural disaster which hit Myanmar just last week”, he said.
Ban is in Myanmar to attend peace talks aimed at ending half a century of conflict between the government and the country’s many armed ethnic minority groups.
“If all those who play a part.in the peace process cultivate the wisdom to reconcile differing views for the good of the people. we will surely be able to build the democratic federal union of our dreams”, said Suu Kyi in her opening remarks.
Ranganathan said there may be efforts by some local people residing in border areas to create confusion. Myanmar, considered one of India’s strategic neighbours, shares a 1,640-km long border with a number of North-Eastern states, including militancy-infested Nagaland and Manipur. Modi said in his address: “I am happy that our partnership is restoring the Ananda temple in Bagan in Myanmar”.
“I conveyed the concern of the global community about tens of thousands of people who have been living in very poor conditions in IDP camps for over four years”, said Ban. In Agra, he will visit the Taj Mahal and return here in the afternoon. He thanked PM Modi for his message of support, and said both India and Myanmar had agreed to enhance cooperation to bring about overall socio-economic development of their people.
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Htin Kyaw is coming to India at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee.
