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India to monitor Musharraf's visit
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India to monitor Musharraf's visit to Myanmar
The Hindu (New Delhi)
December 18, 2000
By Atul Aneja
NEW DELHI, DEC. 17. Keen to build special ties with Myanmar, India will
closely monitor the visit to Yangon by the Pakistani Chief Executive,
General Pervez Musharraf, early next month.
Gen. Musharraf is expected to pay a three-day visit to Myanmar from
January 4. He is visiting Myanmar following India's red carpet welcome
for General Maung Aye, the number two man in Yangon's political
hierarchy last month.
India attaches considerable strategic importance to Myanmar. Myanmar is
seen here as the centerpiece of India's ``look east'' policy. Since both
countries share a common border, Myanmar offers a land corridor to India
to South-East Asia. Besides, the shadow of Chinese influence in Myanmar
has also jolted India into building closer links with Myanmar. The
Indian side wants Myanmar to limit Chinese physical access to the east
of the Chindwin river, a tributary of the Irrawady which splits the
country into nearly two equal halves. Any movement west of Chindwin can
expose India's sensitive north-east region to Chinese surveillance.
India's concerns about Gen. Musharraf's trip have been activated by his
anticipated agenda. Highly placed sources in the Government point out
that Gen. Musharraf's mission to Myanmar includes exploring the
possibility of expanding its arms supply to it. Not surprisingly, Gen.
Musharraf's delegation includes Mr. Javed Hasan, an Army officer,
in-charge of weapons and equipment. The Pakistani delegation is likely
to offer small arms and mortars to Myanmar's mainly infantry-dominated
army.
India is well aware of Pakistan's pronounced emphasis on arms supply to
wrest diplomatic advantages recently. Analysts here point out that Gen.
Musharraf made skillful use of ``arms diplomacy'' by providing weapons
to Sri Lanka in order to acquire a larger political profile in the
island nation.
Pakistan's military ties with Myanmar are not new. It has recently
supplied arms and ammunition worth $2.5 million. These weapons had been
transferred in two consignments during March and April 1999. Since both
countries possess Chinese-origin weaponry, a Pakistani offer of certain
spares and maintenance support to Yangon is not ruled out. Pakistan has
also trained personnel from the Myanmarese Army and the Air Force in
some of its establishments and has since mid-1995, revived intelligence
links with it.
On the political side, India apprehends that Pakistan is seeking a
``toe-hold'' in Myanmar, with a long-term objective of encouraging
insurgency in the North-East. India is aware of reports about Pakistani
attempts to acquire a physical presence at Haka in Myanmar's Chin State
where it proposes to establish an air field.
Sources, however, are not unduly perturbed by Gen. Musharraf's visit.
There is confidence here that India which has larger agenda in Myanmar
and the region is well positioned to off-set any negative fall-out of
this visit. In fact, political and economic bonds between New Delhi and
Yangon are expected to deepen even further during the visit to Myanmar
next month by the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh.
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<b><font size=+2>India to monitor Musharraf's visit to Myanmar</font></b>
<p>The Hindu (New Delhi)
<br>December 18, 2000
<p>By <b>Atul Aneja</b>
<p><b>NEW DELHI, DEC. 17.</b> Keen to build special ties with Myanmar,
India will closely monitor the visit to Yangon by the Pakistani Chief Executive,
General Pervez Musharraf, early next month.
<p>Gen. Musharraf is expected to pay a three-day visit to Myanmar from
January 4. He is visiting Myanmar following India's red carpet welcome
for General Maung Aye, the number two man in Yangon's political hierarchy
last month.
<p>India attaches considerable strategic importance to Myanmar. Myanmar
is seen here as the centerpiece of India's ``look east'' policy. Since
both countries share a common border, Myanmar offers a land corridor to
India to South-East Asia. Besides, the shadow of Chinese influence in Myanmar
has also jolted India into building closer links with Myanmar. The Indian
side wants Myanmar to limit Chinese physical access to the east of the
Chindwin river, a tributary of the Irrawady which splits the country into
nearly two equal halves. Any movement west of Chindwin can expose India's
sensitive north-east region to Chinese surveillance.
<p>India's concerns about Gen. Musharraf's trip have been activated by
his anticipated agenda. Highly placed sources in the Government point out
that Gen. Musharraf's mission to Myanmar includes exploring the possibility
of expanding its arms supply to it. Not surprisingly, Gen. Musharraf's
delegation includes Mr. Javed Hasan, an Army officer, in-charge of weapons
and equipment. The Pakistani delegation is likely to offer small arms and
mortars to Myanmar's mainly infantry-dominated army.
<p>India is well aware of Pakistan's pronounced emphasis on arms supply
to wrest diplomatic advantages recently. Analysts here point out that Gen.
Musharraf made skillful use of ``arms diplomacy'' by providing weapons
to Sri Lanka in order to acquire a larger political profile in the island
nation.
<p>Pakistan's military ties with Myanmar are not new. It has recently supplied
arms and ammunition worth $2.5 million. These weapons had been transferred
in two consignments during March and April 1999. Since both countries possess
Chinese-origin weaponry, a Pakistani offer of certain spares and maintenance
support to Yangon is not ruled out. Pakistan has also trained personnel
from the Myanmarese Army and the Air Force in some of its establishments
and has since mid-1995, revived intelligence links with it.
<p>On the political side, India apprehends that Pakistan is seeking a ``toe-hold''
in Myanmar, with a long-term objective of encouraging insurgency in the
North-East. India is aware of reports about Pakistani attempts to acquire
a physical presence at Haka in Myanmar's Chin State where it proposes to
establish an air field.
<p>Sources, however, are not unduly perturbed by Gen. Musharraf's visit.
There is confidence here that India which has larger agenda in Myanmar
and the region is well positioned to off-set any negative fall-out of this
visit. In fact, political and economic bonds between New Delhi and Yangon
are expected to deepen even further during the visit to Myanmar next month
by the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh.
<p> </html>
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