No anti-India activities from our soil: Myanmar

Nay Pyi Taw, Jun 22 (PTI) Myanmar on Tuesday gave
"firm assurances" to India that its territory will not be used
for anti-India activities, as their foreign ministers held a
a series of "positive and constructive" meetings with focus on
cooperation in security, energy and agriculture.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, who is a on a
three day visit to the country to talk and understand the
"priorities and thinking" of the recently formed civilian
government, held bilateral talks with the country's Foreign
Minister Wunna Maung Lwin.
On the issue of security cooperation, sources said
Myanmar has reiterated their "firm assurances" that the
country's territory will not be be allowed to be used for any
anti-India activities.
Security cooperation has been a major part of
India-Myanmar relations because of the long border that it
shares with four Northeast states. Many insurgent groups
operating in the area are known to take advantage of the thick
jungles along the border in Myanmar to take refuge.
Krishna also called on the Vice President U Tin Aung
Myint Oo in the evening besides holding meeting with the
country's Minister for Electric Power.
"The talks were excellent, positive, constructive and
forward looking" a member of the Indian delegation said when
asked about the bilateral meetings held.
While the meetings were a bid to foster strategic and
economic ties between the two neighbours, sources said a
number of issues with regard to cooperation in the field of
health and agriculture were also discussed.
India has in principle agreed to modernise the
children's hospital in Yangon by supplying the latest modern
equipments besides others. Talks are also on building a state
of the art general hospital in Sittwe with Indian help,
sources said.
Extending a helping hand to the cyclone prone
Myanmar, India handed over 10 modern and disaster-proof rice
silos built at a cost of USD 2 million to preserve grains
during natural calamities.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, on a three day
visit to the country, inaugurated the silos, having a combined
capacity of 5,000 tonne storage build with the assistance of
India.
While cooperation in the agriculture field is an
ongoing phenomenon, sources said a team from the Ministry of
Agriculture led by India's leading agricultural scientist M S
Swaminthan would soon be visiting Myanmar to understand the
country's needs and the possible help that can be extended.
India has already agreed to provide a grant of USD 10
million for procurement of agricultural tools besides
providing 100 computers to the Central Land Records, as
requested by Myanmar.
Sources said discussions are also on setting up an
Agricultural Research Centre in Yezin, near to the capital.
Meanwhile, India has agreed to send a team from the
Archaeological Survey of India to render its services in
restoration of 11th century Ananda temple in Bagan in Mandalay
region.
On the economic sides, both countries expressed
happiness on the rapid growth of trade but noted that there is
also a large untapped market, sources said.