NEW DELHI: Myanmar on Monday assured External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that it would not allow any insurgent groups to use its territory against India.
Sushma was on her first visit to the country after the newly-elected government came to power in Myanmar.
The External Affairs Minster met Myanmar’s President U Htin Kyaw and the state counsellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Aung San Suu Kyi. This is the first high-level visit from India to Myanmar after Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) assumed power earlier this year drawing curtains on the five decades of military junta rule.
According to sources, “Both sides agreed to make efforts to ensure peace and security along the long shared border. The Myanmar stated that activities of insurgent groups would not be countenanced from Myanmar territory and suggested that this issue should be addressed and taken forward through cooperation in established bilateral forums.” Congratulating Suu Kyi for the victory in the “first genuine election” in the country, Sushma assured her of “all help”.
“India is committed to strengthening your democratic institutions and socio-economic development of your people,” Sushma said during her meeting with Suu Kyi. Sushma was accompanied by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and other MEA officials on the one-day trip.
Announcing Swaraj’s sojourn to Myanmar, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted: “An old friend of India, a new partner in progress. EAM meets Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor and FM of Myanmar.”
Suu Kyi has been debarred from running for Presidential elections by the military that still wields considerable control in the country. The Myanmar side expressed their appreciation for the training of 20 Myanmar Members of Parliament at the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training in New Delhi. The President of Myanmar said that “India is the country we should get best lessons from on what democracy means”. Both sides agreed to work together in areas such as agriculture especially pulses, power (India is already supplying 3 MW electricity to Myanmar), renewable energy, skill development, health, education and transport.