Five facts about China-Myanmar relations
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Win For Indian diplomacy: UN envoy returns to Myanmar
March 7, 2008: (Times of India) New Delhi, As UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari walked back into Myanmar on Thursday, it was a moment of achievement for some quiet and determined diplomacy on India's part.
It was foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon's
visit to Myanmar
in February that helped to persuade the military government to allow Gambari to
return for talks in the country.
Gambari's
brief is unclear in Myanmar
but he plans to make a longish stay as he wants to talk to all manner of people
in the country.
During his
last visit in November, Gambari met opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi but
failed to meet senior General Than Shwe, which made his visit less than
successful. India's message
in Myanmar
is two-fold at this point.
First, India wants to
seriously pursue its economic development projects in that country. These
include the high-profile Kaladan multi-modal transport project, which is
expected to be formally signed when Gen Maung Aye visits India in April.
This will give connectivity between Indian ports on the eastern seaboard and
Sittwe port in Myanmar
and then through riverine transport and by road to Mizoram.