Tag: World

Washington, August 26 (ANI): Neil Armstrong’s family has given a statement regarding the death of the first man to walk on the moon. He was 82.
The former test pilot and NASA astronaut died following complications from heart-bypass surgery, which he underwent earlier this month.
“We are heartbroken to share the news that Neil Armstrong has passed away following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures,” his family said.
“Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.
“Neil Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job. He served his Nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. He also found success back home in his native Ohio in business and academia, and became a community leader in Cincinnati.
“He remained an advocate of aviation and exploration throughout his life and never lost his boyhood wonder of these pursuits.
“As much as Neil cherished his privacy, he always appreciated the expressions of good will from people around the world and from all walks of life.
“While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.
“For those who may ask what they can do to honour Neil, we have a simple request. Honour his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink,” his family added.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/neil-armstrong-no-more/

India has signed Agreement on Trade in Goods under the broader framework of Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprising Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. India has also signed bilateral CECA with Singapore and Malaysia.
During the year 2010-11 and 2011-12, export to ASEAN countries was US$ 25.628 billion and US$36.645 billion respectively. During the year 2010- 11 and 2011-12, import from ASEAN countries was US$ 30.608 billion and US$ 42.564 billion respectively.
Negotiations for Agreement on Trade in Services are currently underway and thirteen meetings of Working Group on Services have been held so far.
This information was given by the Minister of State of Commerce and Industry, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/services-agreement-with-asean-countries/

Mail News Service
Imphal, Aug 20: The 46th Indo-Myanmar Border Liaison Meeting was held at HQ 57 Mountain Division under the aegis of HQ 3 Corps. A Fifteen member Myanmar delegation led by Brig Gen Ba Hla Aye- Cdr, AOC (72) arrived at HQ 57 Mountain Division on 16 Aug 2012 by road from Moreh, where they were received by Maj Gen Binoy Poonnen, VSM, Delegation Leader of Indian Army and other officers attending the meeting. The Indo-Myanmar Border Liaison Meet is a landmark event where representatives of both the Armies interact and coordinate border management issues. The event also gives an opportunity to further strengthen the bonds of friendship between both countries.
The meeting deliberated on steps to be taken to curb the activities of insurgent groups on both sides of the border and ways of strengthening the military cooperation between both the countries.
The Myanmar delegation also visited Kolkata and Gaya from 17Aug 12 to 19 Aug 2012. On 20 Aug 2012 the delegation departed for Myanmar via Moreh.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/46th-indo-myanmar-border-liaison-meeting/

Imphal, Aug 18 NNN: India’s Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said India will walk extra miles in order to maintain good relations with its neighbours.
Inaugurating an international conference on “India and Her Neighbours: Revisiting Relations With Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives”, Ranjan Mathai said,” India always gives higher priority to our neigbours.”
The two-day international conference hosted by Jadavpur Association of International Relations (JAIR) at Manipur University began yesterday participated by Daw Yin Yin Myint who is the director general of Training, Research and Foreign Language, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Myanmar, Mahhub Hassan Saleh who is the Deputy High Commissioner of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Dasho Tsering Wangda, General Consul of the Royal Bhutanese Consulate, Kyaw Swe Tint, Consul General of Myanmay and Chandra Kumar Ghimire, Royal Nepalese Consulate General.
Addressing the gathering Ranjan Mathai, secretary, Ministry of External Affairs underlined the need to bring a stable and good neighbourly relations among India’s neighbours. He said,”SAARC has not achieved as much as we hope but we are giving our best effort in it.” The Foreign Secretary then stressed that besides the government’s good diplomatic relations among the neighbours, the people to people relationship is a must. “We need to understand more about each other,” Ranjan Mathai said.
The Foreign Secretary then elaborately highlighted the gains each neighbouring country enjoys. “About 40% of tourists in Nepal are from India and again, about 5 lakh citizens of Nepal got employment in India,” said Ranjan Maithai. Likewise, the Foreign Secretary also mentioned about Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and other neighbouring countries.
Meanwhile, Jadavpur Association of International Relations (JAIR), the main organisation behind this event, said that the political scenario in South Asia involving India and her immediate neighbours has transmuted over the past decade. ‘Many of these small states have experienced wide ranging transformations in their domestic political, economic and social spheres. These shifts have, to a large extent, been oriented towards gradual democratization and economic liberalisation of the polity. The trajectory of these far reaching shifts has not been without event and have, in more instances than not been vibrant as well as volatile,” said the JAIR in a press communique. The JAIR then said that however, while these transformations have been extensive for the countries experiencing them, they found little place of interest in global politics due to the over reaching geo-strategic predominance of the larger neighbours such as China, Pakistan and Afghanistan. “Nevertheless, considering the need for India to engage and develop mutual relations with small states such as Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives, the international conference has been organised to deliberate and contribute to construct engagements with these states. The conference seeks to serve as a platform for reviewing and revisiting India’s role with respect to these nations. Such an engagement is also warranted by India for the realization of its objective of becoming a rising power and a regional leader,” state the JAIR note.
With its members of experts and practitioners specialising on South and South East Asia as well as domestic and foreign diplomats, the JAIR is poised to provide a forum for reflections and tangible inputs on the same,

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/india-wants-good-relations-with-neighbours-foreign-secy/

Mail News Service
Imphal, Aug 6 : The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has expressed shock and sadness at the loss of lives, and injuries, in a shooting incident at a Gurudwara in Wisconsin, USA.
“I am deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the shooting incident that has resulted in the loss of precious lives and injuries to devotees attending a prayer service at a Gurudwara in Wisconsin, U.S.A.
That this senseless act of violence should be targeted at a place of religious worship is particularly painful. I send my deepest condolences to the families that have been bereaved in this incident. Our thoughts are with them in this moment of their grief. India stands in solidarity with all the peace-loving Americans who have condemned this violence. We welcome the U.S. President‘s statement on the tragic incident. We hope that the authorities will reach out to the grieving families and ensure conditions that such violent acts are not repeated in the future.”

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/pms-statement-on-wisconsin-gurudwara-shooting/

The solidarity committee for Burma Democracy will organized a function of unveiling a statue of nobel laureate and democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at Social Science Studies centre, ward No. seven, Irawat Road, Moreh and 24th anniversary of 8888 Burma at the auditorium of Trade Centre, Moreh on August 8 at 9 a.m.
A.Balkrishna Sharma, L. Sotin Kumar, Sarat Salam, Kh. Santa, Kh. Gyaneshwar will be the presidium members.
The statue of the Kyi is sculptured by Soubam Nimai VP, Imphal Art College.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/statue-of-aung-san-suu-kyi/

Mail News Service
Imphal, July 29: A moderate earthquake has shaken central Myanmar near the Indian border. The tremor was felt at Manipur and the neighbouring states around 7.51 am. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake had a magnitude of 5.7 and struck at a depth of 68.4 kilometres (42.5 miles). Myanmar’s meteorological and seismic agency put the magnitude at 5.8.
An official from the Myanmar agency says no casualties or damage have been reported. The quake occurred Sunday at 8:51 a.m. local time.
The official says the quake’s epicenter was about 215 kilometres (135 miles) northwest of Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city. He says it was felt in Hakha, the capital of northwestern Chin state. He spoke anonymously because he wasn’t authorized to release information.
The area affected is not densely populated. It falls within an earthquake belt where tremors are fairly common but usually not destructive.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/moderate-earthquake-shakes-manipur-myanmar/

New Delhi, July 5 (ANI): Pakistan on Thursday rejected renewed Indian charges that Pakistani ‘state actors’ were involved in the planning and coordination of the 2008 Mumbai terror strikes that claimed 166 lives, and instead, proposed a joint investigation against all 26/11 accused, including key handler Syed Zabiuddin alias Abu Jundal.
“I would very strongly reject any insinuation of any involvement of any state agency in acts of terrorism in India,” said Pakistani Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani at a joint press briefing held here along with his Indian counterpart Ranjan Mathai.
He claimed that Pakistan, over the years, has cooperated with India, and added that any gap left, would and could be addressed with more cooperation.
Without taking the name of Jundal, Jilani said: “The issue was extensively discussed, and I assured him (Mathai) that if the evidence will be shared with us, we will investigate into the matter.”
“I bring a message of goodwill, peace from the government and people of Pakistan. Terrorism is a common enemy for India and Pakistan. We are both victims of terrorism. We should not blame one another,” Jilani said earlier in his opening statement.
“We should intensify our cooperation in our fight against terror. We have certainly made a lot of progress on every issue including the issue of terrorism,” he added.Mathai, however, maintained that relevant information has been handed over to Pakistan, and added that New Delhi expected appropriate action to be taken by Islamabad.”Bringing the guilty in Mumbai attacks to justice is the biggest ‘confidence building measure,” Mathai said, adding that that the arrest and ongoing interrogation of Jundal has added urgency to bringing the perpetrators of 26/11 to justice.
Delhi Police arrested Jundal on his arrival from Saudi Arabia at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on June 21.He is in the custody of the Delhi Police Special Cell till July 5.
Jundal has admitted his active role in the 26/11 attack, saying he had worked in tandem with Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
Heconfessed his role in the country’s worst terror attack and admitted that he was present in the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) control room in Karachi from where direction was being to the 10 terrorists who carried out the strike in Mumbai.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/pakistan-denies-role-of-state-actors-in-2611-strikes-but-offers-joint-probe/

New Delhi, July 1 (ANI): The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is reported to have given Sayed Zabiuddin alias Abu Jundal, a prize catch in 26/11 terror case, his first lessons in terrorism in Nepal.
Claiming to be indoctrinated after the post-Godhra riots in Gujarat in 2002, 30-year-old Jundal is reported to have told his interrogators that he was introduced to ‘jehad’ by Aslam Kashmiri, a resident of Hasplote in Thanamandi of Rajouri in Jammu region.
According to his interrogation report submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Zabiuddin said that four youths from Maharashtra and Gujarat were handed over to Aslam Kashmiri for exfiltration through Poonch region in 2004, but they were killed by Army raising suspicions about Kashmiri’s role.
Official sources said today Aslam Kashmiri again approached Zabiuddin and Fayaz Kagzi and asked them to accompany him for arms training but the killing of four youths had raised doubts that he could have been working for Army.
This prompted Aslam Kashmiri putting them through to LeT high command in Pakistan on phone as a proof about the genuineness that he was working for the terror group, Zabiuddin told his interrogators.
After this, Zabiuddin, a resident of Beed in Maharashtra, along with four people left for Nepal where they received training in arms and manufacturing of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/lashkar-gave-first-lessons-in-terrorism-to-jundal-in-nepal/

New Delhi, July 1 (ANI): The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is reported to have given Sayed Zabiuddin alias Abu Jundal, a prize catch in 26/11 terror case, his first lessons in terrorism in Nepal.
Claiming to be indoctrinated after the post-Godhra riots in Gujarat in 2002, 30-year-old Jundal is reported to have told his interrogators that he was introduced to ‘jehad’ by Aslam Kashmiri, a resident of Hasplote in Thanamandi of Rajouri in Jammu region.
According to his interrogation report submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Zabiuddin said that four youths from Maharashtra and Gujarat were handed over to Aslam Kashmiri for exfiltration through Poonch region in 2004, but they were killed by Army raising suspicions about Kashmiri’s role.
Official sources said today Aslam Kashmiri again approached Zabiuddin and Fayaz Kagzi and asked them to accompany him for arms training but the killing of four youths had raised doubts that he could have been working for Army.
This prompted Aslam Kashmiri putting them through to LeT high command in Pakistan on phone as a proof about the genuineness that he was working for the terror group, Zabiuddin told his interrogators.
After this, Zabiuddin, a resident of Beed in Maharashtra, along with four people left for Nepal where they received training in arms and manufacturing of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/lashkar-gave-first-lessons-in-terrorism-to-jundal-in-nepal/

Geneva, June 26 : “Twenty-five years ago today, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment came into effect. Since then, 150 States have become party to the Convention.
In so doing, they have pledged to, among other things, criminalise the use of torture, train law enforcement officials on the absolute prohibition against torture and disallow the use of confessions extracted through torture in legal proceedings.
“In the past 25 years, we have made many gains in the fight against torture, and against impunity for torture. Torture is increasingly criminalised in the law books of states and police training curricula frequently incorporate the provisions of the Convention. Yet much remains to be done. The use of torture is far from over. Every day, the various UN bodies that deal with torture, including my Office, continue to receive harrowing reports of torture in detention, whether to force confessions or to intimidate those critical of the powers that be.
“The victims of torture are, more often than not, ordinary people who belong to already vulnerable sectors of society. Perhaps most shockingly of all, even children are not spared.
“On this UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, I call on all States to live up to the pledges they have made to prevent, prosecute and punish the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. As the Convention Against Torture states unequivocally, the use of torture is illegal, under any circumstances, with no exceptions. I call on all those States that have still not introduced laws that criminalise torture to do so urgently, and all those that already have such legislation to redouble their efforts to ensure it is fully implemented. There also needs to be a more concerted effort to provide victims and their families with the necessary support and reparations to alleviate, at least slightly, the profound and lasting damage that has been done to them.”

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/un-high-commissioner-for-human-rights-on-torture/

Moscow, June 10 (ANI): Russia will be burying the body of Soviet Union founder Vladimir Lenin after 88 years.
The revolutionary’s body is still on public display in a mausoleum on Moscow’s Red Square more than two decades after the break-up of the former USSR.
Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky said it was ‘absurd’ that Lenin had not been laid to rest 88 years after his death, the Daily Mail reports.
Calling for his burial in a normal grave, as Lenin himself had requested, Medinsky said: “Maybe something would change for the better in our lives then.”
The Bolshevik leader’s remains were embalmed on Stalin’s orders when he died aged 53 in 1924 and was kept on public display in Moscow all these years except for the period of the Second World War.
Putin has repeatedly postponed a decision on burial, arguing that Lenin remained an icon for many elderly Russians.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/russia-to-bury-lenins-embalmed-body-after-88-years/

Mail News Service
Imphal, June 7: The Action Committee on Tipaimukh (ACTIP), Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD), Centre for Organization Research and Education (CORE), and Forum for Indigenous Perspectives and Action (FIPA) have reliably learnt of the visiting team of 13 Bangladesh nationals led by Bangladesh External Affairs Publicity Wing Deputy Director Mohammad Zashimuddin invited by the Government of India to study and assess the effects of the multi-purpose hydro-electric Tipaimukh project at the tri-junction of Assam, Manipur and Mizoram.
While appreciating the visiting team from Bangladesh to study and assess the ground realities, what is clear is that the teams’ (including that of the previous Law Makers’) aerial survey of the site is guided hydro-power tourism by the government and the dam proponent. They inevitably will go back with stories that back the dam. What can be really learnt from a day’s token aerial flight over the dam site? An earnest assessment of the environment and social impacts of such hydro-power projects would take considerable time, including a study that encompasses the annual seasonal changes of the river, its catchment and downstream areas.
Moreover, we note once more the unfortunate absence of neither intimation nor any encouragement from the Government to also invite representatives from the States of Assam and Manipur that have the highest stake in the whole project to also study and assess the effects of the multi-purpose hydro-electric Tipaimukh project with full sanctions from the government. Far from doing just that, any attempt at such studies and assessments by the peoples have rather been often viewed suspiciously, if not negatively, by the government.
Indigenous and tribal peoples directly and indirectly to be affected by the project have been excluded in all the consultations and decision making processes. The few public meetings and hearings held by the authorities on this issue have been so far a farce, and ended in total failures with the trademark absence of transparency, accountability and inclusivity.
Groups who have been protesting against the dam for more than 15 years now are being sidelined while trying to appease Bangladesh. The present visit is not the first as other dignitaries from Bangladesh have also been airlifted to Tipaimukh in the past to ‘survey and assess’ the proposed project. While consent from Bangladesh is necessary, that too for the sake of India’s international image, the government must also get consent from the mentioned States and concerned grassroots indigenous peoples along with the organizations that represent them. Not doing this is a clear violation of both national and international laws and an unjustifiable act on the part of the Government of India in depriving the indigenous peoples of their rights to Self Determination, Participation and Free Prior and Informed Consent, negating every commitment to sustainable development.
We would like to underscore that ignoring the crucial linkages of a river’s upstream, midstream, and downstream flows can endanger not just the river, but human communities and ecology sustained by it. According to experts, a disregard of environmental flows, by construction of dams, has already harmed many rivers in the Western Ghats, giving rise to protracted political as well as environmental issues.
The unrelenting denial of the rights, roles and participation of the indigenous peoples and organizations in their development, future and the proper recognition of indigenous peoples and tribal peoples as custodians of their resources once more proves that politicians and government, no matter how democratic they may appear to be, never really cared for the peoples, especially the marginalized indigenous and tribal peoples even though welfare, inclusivity and participation are always their rhetoric in development and administration.
The people of Bangladesh and their present government must take a responsible decision at this juncture where their decision must not lead to India going ahead with the dam. The upstream population will also not jeopardize the life and future of Bangladesh.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/citizens-on-visit-of-bangladesh-team-to-tipaimukh/

New Delhi, May 31, 2012 – The UN Human Rights Council’s UPR Working Group adopted yesterday the draft report on India’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR). India’s UPR – a peer review process of the human rights record of all UN member states – took place on 24 May 2012 in Geneva, where India’s entire human rights record was examined thoroughly by other UN member states. The Government of India (GoI) oral response during the UPR session was marked by a general lack of acceptance of human rights challenges in the country and a mere reiteration of domestic laws, policies and Constitutional provisions by the Government of India (GoI). For more details, see Annex 1.
Eighty countries participated in India’s UPR and made a total of 169 recommendations on a whole range of critical human rights issues (see draft report at: http://www.wghr.org/pdf/A_HRC_WG.6_13_L.8_India.pdf). Recommendations made to India include: ratify promptly the UN Convention against Torture and the UN Convention on Enforced Disappearances; repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA); adopt the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill; enact comprehensive reforms to address sexual violence and all acts of violence against women; improve human rights training of police officers; consider abolishing the death penalty or establish a moratium; ban all forms of child labour; strengthen efforts towards addressing maternal and child mortality; strengthen efforts to combat trafficking; and address the inequities based on rural-urban divide.
India declined to comment on any of these 169 recommendations at the HRC yesterday. GoI decided to examine all the recommendations back in the capital and respond to them prior to the plenary session of the HRC in Geneva in September 2012, where GoI will take a stand on which recommendations it accepts. According to Miloon Kothari, Convener of WGHR: “We look forward to a constructive response form the GoI as it formulates responses to the many useful suggestions that are contained in the document adopted by the UN on May 30, 2012. These responses from the GoI should be formulated after thorough consultations with the Parliament, human rights institutions, civil society .

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/un-adopts-report-on-human-rights/

GENEVA Mar 17 : – United Nations Special Rapporteur Christof Heyns will visit India from 19 to 30 March 2012, in what will be the first fact-finding mission to the country by an independent expert charged by the UN Human Rights Council to examine situations of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
“My upcoming mission represents a unique opportunity to assess the situation of extrajudicial executions in India, and the efforts undertaken to prevent them and ensure accountability in such cases,” he said. “It shall give me the opportunity to gather lessons learned in relation to matters concerning my mandate.”
The Special Rapporteur will also examine the legislative framework applied in India vis-a-vis the issues encompassed by his mandate.
On the basis of his analysis, Mr. Heyns will make recommendations to assist the country in exploring avenues to strengthen the protection of the right to life.
During his twelve-day mission, the expert will visit New Delhi and a number of States to meet with several high-ranking officials at Union and State levels, as well as various academics, international and local non-governmental organizations and UN agencies.
Mr. Heyns will hold a press conference on Friday, 30 March, at 3:30 pm, at the UN Conference Hall (55 Lodi Estate, New Delhi), where he will share his preliminary comments and recommendations. His report on the visit will be presented in a forthcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council in 2013.
The Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns (South Africa), is a director of the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa and Professor of Human Rights Law at the University of Pretoria, where he has also directed the Centre for Human Rights, and has engaged in wide-reaching initiatives on human rights in Africa.
He has advised a number of international, regional and national entities on human rights issues. Mr. Heyns’ research interests include international human rights law and human rights law in Africa.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/un-rapporteur-on-summary-or-arbitrary-executions-to-visit-india/

The 17th National Level Meeting between India and Myanmar concluded at Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar last week. The Indian delegation was
led by Shri R.K. Singh, Home Secretary and the Myanmar delegation was led by Brig. Gen. Kyaw Zan Myint, Deputy Union Minister,
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Recalling the traditionally close relationship between
India and Myanmar, the leaders of India and Myanmar delegation expressed commitment to further strengthen the cooperation between
the two countries in economic and developmental areas, closer people to people contact and maintaining peace and tranquillity on the
border.

In the delegation level meeting, Home Secretary gave an overview of the main areas of concern to India and expressed hope that these
could be discussed in the spirit of trust and friendship between India and Myanmar. Both sides discussed in detail security related issues
like presence of Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs) along Indo-Myanmar border, exchange of intelligence information and arms smuggling.
The leader of Indian delegation mentioned about IIGs camps and training facilities in Myanmar and sought Myanmar’s cooperation in
dealing with the IIG’s activities. Home Secretary especially mentioned that Indian Insurgent Groups are planning large scale disturbances
in the forthcoming elections in 2012 in Manipur. The leader of Myanmar delegation assured that Myanmar would never allow insurgents
to use its territory to engage in any hostile activities against its neighbour India.

The two sides agreed to maintain closer interaction between the nodal points and respective commanding officers of border guarding
forces of the two countries for sharing real time intelligence. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the meetings of the Border Liaison
Offices (BLOs) at DC/SP level at Moreh/Tamu and Zowakhatar/Rhi to discuss measures for combating arms smuggling, drug trafficking ,
smuggling of wild life parts and other issues and it was decided that BLO meetings be held more frequently. It was agreed to establish a
new BLO at Ukhrul (India)- Somra (Myanmar). The Indian leader agreed to provide the requisite communication facilities for the additional
BLO and Commanding officers level interactions at the border.

In order to trace the recipients of the arms smuggling in India, the leader of Indian delegation requested Myanmar to share interrogation
reports of arms smugglers arrested by Myanmar security forces. The leader of the Myanmar delegation agreed to share these reports with
India.

Both the sides expressed satisfaction over decline in drug trafficking and agreed to regular interaction between drug control agencies of
both countries at DG level and DDG level to eliminate the menace of drug trafficking. India offered training and any other support that
Myanmar may require to combat drug trafficking. Theyalso discussed illegal wildlife trafficking, tourism cooperation, training of
Myanmar security forces in India and repatriation issues of Myanmar Fishermen in Indian Prisons and Indian Prisoners in Myanmar.
India offered all possible support to assist Myanmar in its pursuit for better connectivity and overall development .

The Indian delegation also called on the Myanmar Minister of Home Affairs and the first Vice President, Myanmar. The leader of the
Indian delegation flagged the main issues and sought their guidance and support.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/17th-national-level-meeting-between-india-and-myanmar-resolves-to-strengthen-cooperation-in-border-issues/