Burma Insight: 21 Jun 2011

Yangon, June 21 -- Indian Foreign Minister S.M Krishna held extensive talks with first Vice-President of Myanmar Thiha Thura U Tin Aung Myint Oo in Nay Pyi Taw at 5 pm this evening, the state-owned TV announced at 8 pm tonight.

In the talks Tin Aung Myint Oo was flanked by Minister for Livestock and Fisheries U Tin Naing Thein and Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin.

“The talks were aimed at widening cooperation between India and Myanmar,” Myanmar government official told @@.

Following the talks Indian FM received documents from Myanmar government on construction of 500-ton food security shelters in Dawbon Township built as a gift by the Indian government.

Afterwards, the Indian FM and Minister for Industry ( 2 ) U Soe Thein signed memorandum of understanding on construction of industrial training school to be built in Myanmar by Indian government. Earlier this morning, the Indian Foreign Minister and party visited altogether 10 food security shelters in Dawbon Township in Yangon division, which could accommodate 500-ton food.

Later, Indian FM and his party flew to Nay Pyi Taw arriving there at 12 noon today. The Indian FM is visiting Myanmar for three-day beginning from June 20 this year.

Myanmar observers looked upon his visit as the one aimed at trying to get Myanmar out of the embrace of another economic giant namely China.

Yangon, June 21 -- The EU team headed by Mr. Robert Cooper, Director General, General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union held two-hour long talks with democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi at her residence in Yangon this evening.

As the talks ended at 8 pm this evening, members of the EU team refused to give any details of the talks.

But when a reporter asked Aung San Suu Kyi whether EU is now planning to lift its sanctions on Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi laughingly said: “What I understand is the EU just a few months ago renewed its sanctions on Myanmar.”

“In my talks with EU team, I did explain to them about the recent armed clashes between Myanmar military and armed forces of ethnic national races expressing my hope that this problem would be resolved by negotiation,” Aung San Suu Kyi told reporters.

At 4 pm yesterday, the EU team headed by Robert Cooper held talks with the first Vice-President of the Union Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo in Nay Pyi Taw.