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'Not in a hurry to join ASEAN'
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The Hindu:"Not in a hurry to join ASEAN"
The Hindu:President, PM to visit Myanmar
The Hindustan Times: Jaswant defends India?s credentials on democracy
New Delhi Television (NDTV): Jaswant's Myanmar visit to improve
bilateral ties
New Delhi Television (NDTV):The Jaswant visit: Shifting stance in
Indo-Myanmarese relations
**************************************************************
'Not in a hurry to join ASEAN'
The Hindu (New Delhi)
February 15, 2001
By Amit Baruah
YANGON, FEB. 14. The External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, today
referred to the possibility of India becoming a member of the
Association of Southeast Asian contiguous land border with Myanmar.
Mr. Singh, however, said India was not in a hurry. There were other
forums like BIMSTEC and the newly-formed Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC)
with which India could engage ASEAN nations, he added.
The expression of interest by Mr. Singh in joining ASEAN (as opposed to
India's quest for an ASEAN-India summit and its current status as a
dialogue partner) flowed from the fact that India and Myanmar shared a
1,463-km land border and Myanmar's own entry into ASEAN in July 1997.
In an informal chat with reporters this afternoon, the Minister said he
was very pleased with his Myanmar visit, which would include talks with
his Myanmarese counterpart, Mr. U. Win Aung, a call on the State Peace
and Development Council (SPDC) Chairman, Senior General than Shwe, and a
meeting with the intelligence chief, Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt.
"We have made history. We are the first official (Indian) delegation to
cross the land border since independence," a visibly-elated Mr. Singh
maintained.
Stating that yesterday's opening of the Kalemyo-Kalewa-Tamu road was the
first of many infrastructure projects India would help with in Myanmar,
he specifically referred to the Yeywa hydel project near Mandalay and
the Kaladang river navigation project.
The Kaladang project, in Myanmar's Rakhine State, on which pre-
feasibility projects were proposed, could link Mizoram to the port of
Akyab (Sittwe) in Myanmar.
India is also interested in joint bidding for some oil/gas blocks in
Myanmar and is looking at the possibility of transporting the gas to
north-eastern States.
In his remarks, Mr. Singh indicated that India was interested in
reviving pre-independence economic links in the sub-continent when
undivided India was a "common market". Here, he referred to the
possibility of linking the north-east with the Bangladeshi port of
Chittagong and the "eastward outlet" for State like Arunachal Pradesh,
Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.
the Minister made it clear that India could not have a "stand apart"
policy. "What we have forgotten is that India is central to this
region," he said, pointing to the importance of "geo-economics and geo-
politics".
Mr. Singh said it was inconceivable for India not to have relations with
Myanmar. Referring to the warm reception that he got in both Tamu and
Kalemyo yesterday, he described it as a "memorable day" for him. The
idea was to "convert echoes of the past to the realities of today".
Referring to bilateral cooperation with Myanmar, the Minister said India
would move at a pace with which Yangon was comfortable. he said the
issue of insurgency would come up, but made it clear that India had to
primarily deal with the issue on its own.
On whether the China factor had played a role in the engagement with
Myanmar, he said there was no need to see things with the "prism of the
1950s" and referred to the successful visit of the Chinese Leader, Mr.
Li Peng, to India. On Indo-U.S. relations in the context of the new
administration in Washington, the Minister was hopeful of reinforcing
the momentum generated during the Clinton presidency. On whether there
was a possibility of his visiting Washington, he merely said that
Parliament was convening on February 19.
*****************************************************************
President, PM to visit Myanmar
The Hindu (New Delhi)
February 15, 2001
By Amit Baruah
YANGON, FEB. 14. India has accepted invitations for the President, Mr.
K. R. Narayanan, and the Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, to visit
Myanmar.
The invitations were extended by the Myanmar Government during the visit
of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Vice-Chairman and Army
Chief, Gen. Maung Aye, to India, in November 2000.
Similarly, New Delhi has also invite the SPDC Chairman, Senior General
than Shwe, to visit India.
Following India's acceptance of the invitations, dates for the tours are
to be worked out through diplomatic channels.
******************************************************************
Jaswant defends India?s credentials on democracy
Hindustan Times (New Delhi)
February 15, 2001
Shishir Gupta,
(Yangon, February 14)
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Minister Jaswant Singh on his arrival on Wednesday
stoutly defended India's credentials on democracy but advocated an
all-encompassing 'political and economic engagement' with Myanmar
keeping the 'national interest in mind'.
Mr Singh said "India's credentials on democracy need not be proved to
anyone but we have to keep our national interest in mind." During his
two-day in the capital city, the Minister is scheduled to hold bilateral
talks with Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman, State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC), Gen Maung Aye, Vice Chairman and Lt. Gen.
Khin Nyunt, Secretary-I, SPDC.
According to the Minister, the question about Myanmar moving towards a
democratic form of governance had been raised with Yangon by New Delhi
at "appropriate time and place". He, however, made it clear that
'stand-offish' relations with Myanmar were against India's interests,
taking the "geo-economics and geo-political factors" into account.
"Myanmar stretches from Arunchal Pradesh to Tamil Nadu... It is the
eastern edge of the Bay of Bengal... It is inconceivable to even think
that India has any relations with Myanmar," Mr Jaswant Singh told
mediapersons. The reference to Bay of Bengal is of considerable
significance as it is in the backyard of India. Myanmar's mighty
Ayeyarwaddy river provides a natural corridor to access this
strategically important area.
Guided by what he called "primacy of geo-economics in the world", Mr
Singh said that India was committed to infrastructural development in
Myanmar, as it would lead to the economic growth of its own
North-Eastern States. In this direction the two countries are working on
opening more border points including a linkage from south Mizoram to
across the border Rakhine state in a bid to provide natural trading
outlets.
Mr Singh's plan for lending substance to the economic content of
relationship with Myanmar includes: Building a 1200 MW hydroelectric
project at Tamanthi, north of Tamu, on Chindwin river; putting up
another hydroelectric project at Yeywa, developing a multi-modal link on
Kaldan river and have a trade linkage between Akayab or Sittwe port with
Mizoram. In the earlier days it had a regular ferry service to Kolkata.
When developed, the Tamanthi and Yeywa projects in Myanmar will supply
electricity to the energy-hungry India's north-eastern states. According
to reports, more than 75 per cent of electricity from Tamanthi will be
used by India.
Both India and Myanmar are members of a number of regional initiatives
including the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, The BIMST-EC and in ASEAN with
India as a dialogue partner. While India would like to join the ASEAN as
it has contiguous border with South-East Asia, New Delhi does not appear
to be in a hurry. For the present, India appears to be concentrating on
improving communication linkages in the region.
According to Mr Singh, India had made significant progress with
Bangladesh on the issue and the move to link Agartala - Akhora -
Chittagong port was on the anvil.
****************************************************************
Jaswant's Myanmar visit to improve bilateral ties
>From New Delhi Television (NDTV)
Thursday, February 15, 2001 (Yangon):
External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's Myanmar visit centred on
opening a road linking India's Northeast to central Myanmar. The visit
is a first attempt to create economic and strategic ties with a country
that has a border with four of India's troubled states. Jaswant Singh's
visit to Myanmar is the first by an Indian Minister since Rajiv Gandhi
came here in 1987.
People had lined up in thousands along the main road in Tamu in western
Myanmar to welcome Mr. Singh. Along with Lt. Gen. U Tin Oo, the Second
Secretary in Myanmar's military regime, the State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC), Mr. Singh opened the 165-km road that was built by
India's Border Roads Organization over the last three years. The project
cost the Indian government over Rs. 120 crore. Just across the border
from Imphal, the road to Mandalay is India's land entry not only into
Myanmar, but eventually all the way to Vietnam.
Mr. Singh kicked off his visit with a meeting yesterday with the
Myanmarese Foreign Minister. In his meeting with the members of the
ruling junta, Mr. Jaswant Singh will talk about Indian investment in
sectors like hydroelectric power projects and port development.
Despite the fact that India insists on its commitment to democracy, the
reasons for this investment are apparent. The MEA says that active
support from the government in Yangon is crucial for both, controlling
insurgency in the Northeast and narco-trafficking. Mr. Jaswant Singh
said, "There are several cross-border projects that could transform the
economies of this region. The road is but the first of its kind."
Mr. Singh's visit is the first high-level delegation to Myanmar since
1987, when former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi visited the country.
Myanmar is now an active member of ASEAN and open to foreign investment.
The fact that China has significant strategic and economic interests in
Myanmar is not lost on the Indian government. China has established an
electronic listening post on a Burmese island in the Bay of Bengal. Lt.
Gen. U Tin Oo said, "This new road will stand as a monument to
commemorate mutual co-operation and excellent friendship existing
between our people."
Jaswant Singh is in Myanmar until Thursday to meet with the generals in
power. No meeting with any opposition member is scheduled and most
likely none will take place. Clearly India's policy towards Myanmar has
changed dramatically since 1995, when its opposition leader Aung San Suu
Kyi was awarded the Nehru Peace Prize.
***********************************************************************
The Jaswant visit: Shifting stance in Indo-Myanmarese relations
>From New Delhi Television (NDTV)
Thursday, February 15, 2001 (New Delhi):
The question being asked now is whether External Affairs Minister
Jaswant Singh's high level visit to Myanmar signals a clear change in
India's approach to relations with Myanmar. A policy that seems to say
that though democracy is a desirable goal, India cannot make it the sole
determinant of its regional engagement.
Mr. Singh's visit to Myanmar is another step in a policy that began
eight years ago. In 1993, recognizing that the military junta was
probably in for the long haul, and to counter China's influence in
Myanmar, New Delhi made a perceptible shift to a more pragmatic approach
in relations with its eastern neighbour. India's open moral support to
Aung San Suu Syi and the movement for the restoration of democracy
became more subtly expressed.
However, the current high profile engagement with Myanmar's military
rulers coming after 14 years has come in for sharp criticism back home.
D Raja, CPI General Secretary, pointed out, "India always stood by
people fighting for democracy, liberation and independence. But after
the BJP-led NDA government (came to power), we see a slight shift in
foreign policy."
There is apprehension in other quarters as well. The movement of
anti-government exiles, who took shelter in India after the military
crackdown in Myanmar in 1988, is demoralized by the evident lack of
clear support for the restoration of democracy, but is also careful not
to be seen to be critical of the current official mood. Myint Aye, Joint
General Secretary, All Burma Students' League, said, "This present
military regime in Myanmar is extremely opposed to us. Whenever they get
a chance, they will pressure the Indian government to drive out the
democracy movement here in India."
The current winds of change vis-à-vis Myanmar are part of the larger
'Look East' policy that has emerged in the country's foreign policy
lexicon of late. But apart from the strategic and economic benefits of
engagement, Indian foreign policy will still have to walk the fine line
between moral and ideological support to democratic forces and the
perceived need to be a pragmatic regional power.
--------------0478F2B4204D0B15EF84F844
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<b><font size=+1><font color="#FF0000">The Hindu:</font><font color="#993366">"Not
in a hurry to join ASEAN"</font></font></b>
<br><b><font size=+1><font color="#CC0000">The Hindu:</font><font color="#993366">President,
PM to visit Myanmar</font></font></b>
<br><b><font size=+1><font color="#CC0000">The Hindustan Times: </font><font color="#993366">Jaswant
defends India?s credentials on democracy</font></font></b>
<br><font size=+1><font color="#CC0000">New Delhi Television (NDTV): </font><b><font color="#993366">Jaswant's
Myanmar visit to improve bilateral ties</font></b></font>
<br><font size=+1><font color="#CC0000">New Delhi Television (NDTV):</font><b><font color="#993366">The
Jaswant visit: Shifting stance in Indo-Myanmarese relations</font></b></font>
<p><b><font color="#006600"><font size=+1>
**************************************************************</font></font></b>
<center>
<p><b><font color="#0000FF"><font size=+3>'Not in a hurry to join ASEAN'</font></font></b></center>
<p><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>The Hindu (New Delhi)</font></font>
<br><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>February 15, 2001</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>By <font color="#800000">Amit Baruah</font></font>
<p><font size=+1><font color="#CC0000">YANGON, FEB. 14.</font> The External
Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, today referred to the possibility
of India becoming a member of the Association of Southeast Asian contiguous
land border with Myanmar.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Mr. Singh, however, said India was not in a hurry. There
were other forums like BIMSTEC and the newly-formed Mekong-Ganga Cooperation
(MGC) with which India could engage ASEAN nations, he added.</font>
<p><font size=+1>The expression of interest by Mr. Singh in joining ASEAN
(as opposed to India's quest for an ASEAN-India summit and its current
status as a dialogue partner) flowed from the fact that India and Myanmar
shared a 1,463-km land border and Myanmar's own entry into ASEAN in July
1997.</font>
<p><font size=+1>In an informal chat with reporters this afternoon, the
Minister said he was very pleased with his Myanmar visit, which would include
talks with his Myanmarese counterpart, Mr. U. Win Aung, a call on the State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Chairman, Senior General than Shwe,
and a meeting with the intelligence chief, Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt.</font>
<p><font size=+1>"We have made history. We are the first official (Indian)
delegation to cross the land border since independence," a visibly-elated
Mr. Singh maintained.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Stating that yesterday's opening of the Kalemyo-Kalewa-Tamu
road was the first of many infrastructure projects India would help with
in Myanmar, he specifically referred to the Yeywa hydel project near Mandalay
and the Kaladang river navigation project.</font>
<p><font size=+1>The Kaladang project, in Myanmar's Rakhine State, on which
pre- feasibility projects were proposed, could link Mizoram to the port
of Akyab (Sittwe) in Myanmar.</font>
<p><font size=+1>India is also interested in joint bidding for some oil/gas
blocks in Myanmar and is looking at the possibility of transporting the
gas to north-eastern States.</font>
<p><font size=+1>In his remarks, Mr. Singh indicated that India was interested
in reviving pre-independence economic links in the sub-continent when undivided
India was a "common market". Here, he referred to the possibility of linking
the north-east with the Bangladeshi port of Chittagong and the "eastward
outlet" for State like Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.</font>
<p><font size=+1>the Minister made it clear that India could not have a
"stand apart" policy. "What we have forgotten is that India is central
to this region," he said, pointing to the importance of "geo-economics
and geo- politics".</font>
<p><font size=+1>Mr. Singh said it was inconceivable for India not to have
relations with Myanmar. Referring to the warm reception that he got in
both Tamu and Kalemyo yesterday, he described it as a "memorable day" for
him. The idea was to "convert echoes of the past to the realities of today".</font>
<p><font size=+1>Referring to bilateral cooperation with Myanmar, the Minister
said India would move at a pace with which Yangon was comfortable. he said
the issue of insurgency would come up, but made it clear that India had
to primarily deal with the issue on its own.</font>
<p><font size=+1>On whether the China factor had played a role in the engagement
with Myanmar, he said there was no need to see things with the "prism of
the 1950s" and referred to the successful visit of the Chinese Leader,
Mr. Li Peng, to India. On Indo-U.S. relations in the context of the new
administration in Washington, the Minister was hopeful of reinforcing the
momentum generated during the Clinton presidency. On whether there was
a possibility of his visiting Washington, he merely said that Parliament
was convening on February 19.</font>
<p><font color="#006600"><font size=+1>
<b>*****************************************************************</b></font></font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<center>
<p><b><font color="#0000FF"><font size=+3>President, PM to visit Myanmar</font></font></b></center>
<p><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>The Hindu (New Delhi)</font></font>
<br><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>February 15, 2001</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>By <font color="#800000">Amit Baruah</font></font>
<p><font size=+1><font color="#CC0000">YANGON, FEB. 14.</font> India has
accepted invitations for the President, Mr. K. R. Narayanan, and the Prime
Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, to visit Myanmar.</font>
<p><font size=+1>The invitations were extended by the Myanmar Government
during the visit of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Vice-Chairman
and Army Chief, Gen. Maung Aye, to India, in November 2000.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Similarly, New Delhi has also invite the SPDC Chairman,
Senior General than Shwe, to visit India.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Following India's acceptance of the invitations, dates
for the tours are to be worked out through diplomatic channels.</font>
<p><font size=+1> <b><font color="#006600">******************************************************************</font></b></font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<center>
<p><b><font color="#0000FF"><font size=+2>Jaswant defends India?s credentials
on democracy</font></font></b></center>
<p><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>Hindustan Times (New Delhi)</font></font>
<br><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>February 15, 2001</font></font>
<p><font color="#800000"><font size=+1>Shishir Gupta,</font></font>
<br><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>(Yangon, February 14)</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Minister Jaswant Singh on his arrival
on Wednesday stoutly defended India's credentials on democracy but advocated
an all-encompassing 'political and economic engagement' with Myanmar keeping
the 'national interest in mind'.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Mr Singh said "India's credentials on democracy need not
be proved to anyone but we have to keep our national interest in mind."
During his two-day in the capital city, the Minister is scheduled to hold
bilateral talks with Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman, State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC), Gen Maung Aye, Vice Chairman and Lt. Gen. Khin
Nyunt, Secretary-I, SPDC.</font>
<p><font size=+1>According to the Minister, the question about Myanmar
moving towards a democratic form of governance had been raised with Yangon
by New Delhi at "appropriate time and place". He, however, made it clear
that 'stand-offish' relations with Myanmar were against India's interests,
taking the "geo-economics and geo-political factors" into account.</font>
<p><font size=+1>"Myanmar stretches from Arunchal Pradesh to Tamil Nadu...
It is the eastern edge of the Bay of Bengal... It is inconceivable to even
think that India has any relations with Myanmar," Mr Jaswant Singh told
mediapersons. The reference to Bay of Bengal is of considerable significance
as it is in the backyard of India. Myanmar's mighty Ayeyarwaddy river provides
a natural corridor to access this strategically important area.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Guided by what he called "primacy of geo-economics in
the world", Mr Singh said that India was committed to infrastructural development
in Myanmar, as it would lead to the economic growth of its own North-Eastern
States. In this direction the two countries are working on opening more
border points including a linkage from south Mizoram to across the border
Rakhine state in a bid to provide natural trading outlets.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Mr Singh's plan for lending substance to the economic
content of relationship with Myanmar includes: Building a 1200 MW hydroelectric
project at Tamanthi, north of Tamu, on Chindwin river; putting up another
hydroelectric project at Yeywa, developing a multi-modal link on Kaldan
river and have a trade linkage between Akayab or Sittwe port with Mizoram.
In the earlier days it had a regular ferry service to Kolkata.</font>
<p><font size=+1>When developed, the Tamanthi and Yeywa projects in Myanmar
will supply electricity to the energy-hungry India's north-eastern states.
According to reports, more than 75 per cent of electricity from Tamanthi
will be used by India.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Both India and Myanmar are members of a number of regional
initiatives including the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, The BIMST-EC and in
ASEAN with India as a dialogue partner. While India would like to join
the ASEAN as it has contiguous border with South-East Asia, New Delhi does
not appear to be in a hurry. For the present, India appears to be concentrating
on improving communication linkages in the region.</font>
<p><font size=+1>According to Mr Singh, India had made significant progress
with Bangladesh on the issue and the move to link Agartala - Akhora - Chittagong
port was on the anvil.</font>
<p><font size=+1> <b><font color="#006600">****************************************************************</font></b></font>
<center>
<p><b><font color="#0000FF"><font size=+2> Jaswant's Myanmar visit
to improve bilateral ties</font></font></b></center>
<p><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>From New Delhi Television (NDTV)</font></font>
<br><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>Thursday, February 15, 2001 (Yangon):</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's Myanmar visit
centred on opening a road linking India's Northeast to central Myanmar.
The visit is a first attempt to create economic and strategic ties with
a country that has a border with four of India's troubled states. Jaswant
Singh's visit to Myanmar is the first by an Indian Minister since Rajiv
Gandhi came here in 1987.</font>
<p><font size=+1>People had lined up in thousands along the main road in
Tamu in western Myanmar to welcome Mr. Singh. Along with Lt. Gen. U Tin
Oo, the Second Secretary in Myanmar's military regime, the State Peace
and Development Council (SPDC), Mr. Singh opened the 165-km road that was
built by India's Border Roads Organization over the last three years. The
project cost the Indian government over Rs. 120 crore. Just across the
border from Imphal, the road to Mandalay is India's land entry not only
into Myanmar, but eventually all the way to Vietnam.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Mr. Singh kicked off his visit with a meeting yesterday
with the Myanmarese Foreign Minister. In his meeting with the members of
the ruling junta, Mr. Jaswant Singh will talk about Indian investment in
sectors like hydroelectric power projects and port development.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Despite the fact that India insists on its commitment
to democracy, the reasons for this investment are apparent. The MEA says
that active support from the government in Yangon is crucial for both,
controlling insurgency in the Northeast and narco-trafficking. Mr. Jaswant
Singh said, "There are several cross-border projects that could transform
the economies of this region. The road is but the first of its kind."</font>
<p><font size=+1>Mr. Singh's visit is the first high-level delegation to
Myanmar since 1987, when former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi visited the
country. Myanmar is now an active member of ASEAN and open to foreign investment.
The fact that China has significant strategic and economic interests in
Myanmar is not lost on the Indian government. China has established an
electronic listening post on a Burmese island in the Bay of Bengal. Lt.
Gen. U Tin Oo said, "This new road will stand as a monument to commemorate
mutual co-operation and excellent friendship existing between our people."</font>
<p><font size=+1>Jaswant Singh is in Myanmar until Thursday to meet with
the generals in power. No meeting with any opposition member is scheduled
and most likely none will take place. Clearly India's policy towards Myanmar
has changed dramatically since 1995, when its opposition leader Aung San
Suu Kyi was awarded the Nehru Peace Prize.</font>
<p><font size=+1> <b><font color="#006600">***********************************************************************</font></b></font>
<center>
<p><b><font color="#0000FF"><font size=+2>The Jaswant visit: Shifting stance
in Indo-Myanmarese relations</font></font></b></center>
<p><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>From New Delhi Television (NDTV)</font></font>
<br><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>Thursday, February 15, 2001 (New
Delhi):</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>The question being asked now is whether External Affairs
Minister Jaswant Singh's high level visit to Myanmar signals a clear change
in India's approach to relations with Myanmar. A policy that seems to say
that though democracy is a desirable goal, India cannot make it the sole
determinant of its regional engagement.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Mr. Singh's visit to Myanmar is another step in a policy
that began eight years ago. In 1993, recognizing that the military junta
was probably in for the long haul, and to counter China's influence in
Myanmar, New Delhi made a perceptible shift to a more pragmatic approach
in relations with its eastern neighbour. India's open moral support to
Aung San Suu Syi and the movement for the restoration of democracy became
more subtly expressed.</font>
<p><font size=+1>However, the current high profile engagement with Myanmar's
military rulers coming after 14 years has come in for sharp criticism back
home. D Raja, CPI General Secretary, pointed out, "India always stood by
people fighting for democracy, liberation and independence. But after the
BJP-led NDA government (came to power), we see a slight shift in foreign
policy."</font>
<p><font size=+1>There is apprehension in other quarters as well. The movement
of anti-government exiles, who took shelter in India after the military
crackdown in Myanmar in 1988, is demoralized by the evident lack of clear
support for the restoration of democracy, but is also careful not to be
seen to be critical of the current official mood. Myint Aye, Joint General
Secretary, All Burma Students' League, said, "This present military regime
in Myanmar is extremely opposed to us. Whenever they get a chance, they
will pressure the Indian government to drive out the democracy movement
here in India."</font>
<p><font size=+1>The current winds of change vis-à-vis Myanmar are
part of the larger 'Look East' policy that has emerged in the country's
foreign policy lexicon of late. But apart from the strategic and economic
benefits of engagement, Indian foreign policy will still have to walk the
fine line between moral and ideological support to democratic forces and
the perceived need to be a pragmatic regional power.</font>
<p> </html>
--------------0478F2B4204D0B15EF84F844--