Myanmar refutes George on Chinese presence in Coco Island

He made this observation while responding to a query on a reported comment made earlier by Defence Minister George Fernandes about the Chinese presence in Coco Island.

Asked if Myanmar would like to become a member of SAARC, Aung replied in the negative and said, “BIMSTEC would act as a bridge between ASEAN and SAARC.”

The Myanmar foreign minister accused Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader of the democratic movement in Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, of not creating a ground “where we could sit together”.

“It needs a common ground and mutual trust talk,” he said on the political imbroglio in the country.

Aung alleged that Suu Kyi had sent videotaped messages asking foreigners not to invest in Myanmar. “She asked ASEAN not to recognise us. However, we need to have contact and build a common ground (between the two sides). We can then have gradual build-up for the dialogue,” he said.

Aung said, “Democracy is a process which has to be built. There is a need for stability to build democracy. We want and we are working for national unity. For the first time we have reached agreement with 17 armed groups (out of 18). We cannot say that the problem of fighting is solved, but it must be noted that a large group surrendered with 8,000 men and is participating in (a) national convention with us.”

“While we are trying to achieve national consensus, the West is accusing us of being slow (in the democratic process), but we are walking through mine fields. We have so many problems that we have to solve maintaining our stability. If we move too fast, we many trip over some mines, which may create difficult situations,” Aung said.

Referring to the US, he said it “should not turn a blind eye to real development in Myanmar, particularly the unprecedented peace and stability which we now enjoy.”

“We are making every effort to improve our relations with the US but, as you know, it takes time to achieve the desired results,” he said.

Aung left Dhaka yesterday after a three-day visit, during which the two countries had talks on bilateral matters, including the lingering issue of repatriation of the 21,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees to Myanmar, who are now living in Cox’s Bazar camps in South Eastern Bangladesh.