IMPHAL, May 9: The India-Myanmar talks on border management was pushed up to the Joint Secretary level meeting with a joint meeting of India and Myanmar delegates yesterday at the 57 Mountain Division headquarters at Leimakhong.
The recent ceasefire agreement between Myanmar government and the NSCN (Khaplang) figured in the joint meeting yesterday, in which the Indian side sought a latest update on the status of the ceasefire.
It may be mentioned that the Centre-NSCN (K) ceasefire had faced some trouble following the reported signing of a ceasefire between the militant group and the Myanmarese authorities in recent times. The ceasefire signed between the Centre and the militant group had expired on April 28.
The Indian side was represented by a 15-member delegation including the Joint Secretary (NE) in the ministry of Home Affairs Shambhu Singh and 3 Corps Commander Lt General Vijay Poonen besides officials of the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs.
The 15-member Myanmar delegation was led by the Army Commander of North West Division.
The Myanmar delegation sidestepped the issue of ceasefire with the Khaplang group as they said it must have been done with the civil administration at Naypitaw.
The bilateral ceasefire between National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN/GPRN) Khaplang and Union of Myanmar was signed on 9th April 2012 at Khamti town, the Naga Headquarter and finalized by the representatives of Central level at Naypitaw.
The NSCN Khaplang team had included six members headed by Y Wangtin Naga. The other members were Chowangsing, Kilonser, Angkan Kilonser, P Tikhak, Kilonser, Brig. Angmai and Shanwang RCM; while the 6-member team from Union of Myanmar was headed by Col. Kyiniang, Minister for Border Area Development.
Tuesday’s joint meeting also discussed border management issues.
The last border management meeting was held on February this year at Moreh Trade Centre. The Indian team was led by DC, Chandel, Th Chittaranjan while his counterpart from Tamu district, U Kyan Zaw Lin headed the Myanmar delegation. The other members of the Indian side were E Priyokumar, SP, Chandel, S Amirlal Sharma, SP, NAB, RK Darendrajit, SP Custom Preventive Force, Moreh, ASP Moreh, Y Ashok Kumar and ADC Moreh, Lunminthang Haokip.
On the other hand, the Myanmarese delegates include Lt Col Thet Mon, RU Kyan Thein, U Kyi Oo, U Saw Naing and Lt Col Linn Htut. Among the issues brought up by the Myanmarese delegation was the border fencing between border posts numbers 78 and 79, which fall along the boundary of Moreh and Tamu towns. It proposed that fencing work be taken up only after the two sides reached at an agreement which is compliable to both sides.
The recent firing incident at the border post of Gate No 2 Moreh figured in the Tuesday meeting. The Indian side pressed for stern action to prevent occurrences of such incidents in future while also objecting to the unprovoked firing from the Myanmar border.
