Guwahati, Oct 7 - India announced Sunday a series of cross-border development projects with Myanmar aimed at better connectivity and boosting the regional economies of the two countries.'We are involved in a variety of projects with Myanmar in diverse fields such as roads, railways, telecommunications, IT, science and technology, and power,' External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.Mukherjee was delivering a lecture titled 'India's Look East Policy - Challenges for Sub-Regional Cooperation' in Assam's main city of Guwahati organised by the public diplomacy division of the external affairs ministry.'These initiatives are aimed at improving connectivity between northeastern India and western Myanmar and are expected to give an impetus to the local economies as well as bilateral trade,' the minister said.Mukherjee's statement assumes significance in the context of the present brutal attacks on pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar and the international condemnation of the military crackdown.The external affairs last week issued a guarded statement expressing 'concern' over the turmoil in Myanmar.'As a close and friendly neighbour, India hopes to see a peaceful, stable and prosperous Myanmar, where all sections of people will be included in a broadbased process of national reconciliation and political reform,' the statement had said.The minister said that among the notable agreements reached with the junta is the one about connectivity of the waterways between the two countries.'Probably among the most important is the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport facility, which envisages connectivity between Indian ports on the eastern seaboard and Sittwe Port in Myanmar,' Mukherjee said.Exiled Myanmarese leaders had earlier expressed concern over India's lukewarm response in condemning the military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar, although analysts said New Delhi is walking a diplomatic tightrope to appease the junta for strategic interests.'It is indeed very shocking to find one of the world's largest democracy (India) adopting a nuanced approach when the (Myanmar) military is trying to neutralize pro-democracy supporters,' Min Maung, an exiled Burmese student leader here, said.
(c) Indo-Asian News Service
