NEWS - Myanmar vows to cooperate wi

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Subject: NEWS - Myanmar vows to cooperate with Thailand in anti-drugs effort

Thailand-Myanmar-crime
   Myanmar vows to cooperate with Thailand in anti-drugs effort
   
   BANGKOK, Aug 25 (AFP) - Myanmar has vowed to cooperate in an
anti-drugs 
drive with neighbouring Thailand aimed at clamping down on the illicit 
cross-border trade, officials said Wednesday.
   Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan received the assurance while in
Yangon 
at a meeting with powerful junta First Secretary Lieutenant General Khin
Nyunt.
   "The Yangon government again gave us assurances that it would
cooperate in 
drugs suppression with Thailand," Thai foreign ministry spokesman Don 
Pramudhvinai said.
   Surin, leading a senior delegation, arrived in Yangon on Tuesday to 
co-chair the two countries's Joint Commission meeting with his Myanmar 
counterpart Win Aung.
   Thailand has asked Myanmar to step up the monitoring of border areas
amid 
suspicions that drug trafficking rings are searching for new routes into
the 
country.
   Earlier this month Thailand closed the San Ton Du checkpoint on the 
northern border with Myanmar, which Thai officials said was being used
as a 
major amphetamines smuggling route.
   With that border point closed, Thai anti-narcotics authorities now
suspect 
drug traffickers may be searching for alternatives, a minister said.
   Don said the Thai foreign minister also raised concerns over illegal 
immigrants and refugees with Prime Minister Than Shwe.
   Thailand is home to an estimated one million illegal workers from
Maynmar 
and about 100,000 refugees, mainly ethnic Karens fleeing junta efforts
to 
crush an insurgency.
   Both nations agreed to strenghten cooperation on their land and sea
borders 
to reduce the number conflicts which have regularly led to bloodshed.
   tp/de/ajp