India renews pressure on Myanmar

Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee held talks with his Myanmar counterpart U Nyan Win on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Monday and expressed fresh concern over the turmoil in the former Burma, a statement said.

"The minister also expressed the hope that the process of national reconciliation and political reform, initiated by the government of Myanmar, would be taken forward expeditiously," the foreign ministry statement said.

"Further, he suggested that the government could consider undertaking an inquiry into recent incidents and the use of force," it added.

The comments from India, one of the few friends of the former Burma, came as a special U.N. envoy was set to meet Myanmar's senior general to try and persuade the junta to end its crackdown on the biggest pro-democracy protests in 20 years.

Myanmar state media say 10 people were killed when troops opened fire last week to clear protesters from the streets of Yangon although Western governments say the toll is likely to be far higher.

Last week, New Delhi broke its silence and called on the military rulers for political reform, bowing to mounting appeals from the West that India persuade its neighbour's ruling generals to talk to opponents staging huge street protests.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government has since come under more pressure from Myanmar exiles in the country as well as pro-Myanmar activists and commentators who say India should put human rights and peace across the border ahead of its economic and strategic interests.

HEDGING BETS

India shares a 1,645-km (1,000-mile) border on its east with Myanmar and relations between the neighbours go back centuries.

New Delhi initially supported Nobel laureate Aung Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, but changed its strategy in the early 1990s to court the military regime in what is seen as an effort to counter rival China.

It has invested in developing ports, building roads and railways, supplied arms and is also competing with Beijing for Myanmar's oil and gas reserves. The two countries have also exchanged several high-level visits in recent years.

India has traditionally maintained that Myanmar's pro-democracy movement was its internal affair and the subtle change in its stance after the latest protests signal New Delhi is walking a diplomatic tightrope, analysts say.

On Monday, new Indian army chief General Deepak Kapoor reiterated that Myanmar's recent troubles were its "internal matter", in yet another indication that New Delhi had not abandoned the junta.

"We have good relations with Myanmar ... we are for maintaining the close relationship," Kapoor said in New Delhi after formally assuming office.