Myanmar refutes Fernandes charge

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Myanmar refutes Fernandes charge

>From the Hindu Newspaper of 21st July, 1999

DHAKA, JULY 20. Myanmar today refuted the Indian Defence Minister, Mr.
George Fernandes? assertion about Chinese military presence in the
Coco?s Island and setting up of a naval base there.

?It is totally false, we will not allow any country to have base
facilities. We are not sheltering anybody. You can put it on record that
there is not a single Chinese soldier in Coco?s Island. We have a
40-year old base where some renovation is being done,? the Myanmar
Foreign Minister, U Win Aung was today quoted by the Daily Star
Newspaper here as telling in an interview.

He made this observation while responding to a query on a reported
comment earlier made by the Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes about
the Chinese presence in Coco?s Island. (PTI)