External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday met his Myanmar counterpart Than Swe and discussed expediting projects, especially the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway, and underlined the importance of ensuring peace and stability in the border areas. Jaishankar, who arrived in Bangkok from Indonesia on Saturday on an official visit, also met Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai.
“Our discussions focused on connectivity initiatives that have great regional importance. These will also be discussed at the MGC meeting this afternoon. Emphasized the importance of expediting projects that have faced challenges in the recent past, Especially after meeting the Myanmar Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting, Jaishankar said in a tweet.
On Saturday, Jaishankar said the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway was a “very difficult project” because of the situation in Myanmar and finding ways to restart it was a priority for the government.
The 1,400 km long highway was expected to be commissioned in 2019
India, Thailand and Myanmar are working on a nearly 1,400 km long highway that will connect the country to Southeast Asia by land and boost business, trade, health, education and tourism ties between the three countries.
About 70 percent of the construction work on the ambitious trilateral highway has been completed. The strategic highway project, which would connect Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar, has been delayed.
Earlier, the government had targeted to make the highway operational by December 2019. During his talks with Than Swee, Jaishankar also underlined the importance of ensuring peace and stability in the border areas, which he said have been “seriously disturbed recently and any action would only worsen the situation.” The situation should be avoided”.
“Concerns were raised about human and drug trafficking. Strong co-operation between the parties concerned was urged for speedy return of victims of trafficking,” he said. Jaishankar said, as a close neighbour, India is concerned about the humanitarian situation in Myanmar.
He proposed people-centric initiatives aimed at tackling grave challenges.
“India supports the democratic transition process in Myanmar and highlights the need for a return to peace and stability. We will closely coordinate our policy with ASEAN in this regard,” he said. Jaishankar later met his Thai counterpart Pramudwinai. Jakarta. It is a pleasure to meet Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Thailand today. Looking forward to the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting this afternoon,” he tweeted.
In Bangkok, Jaishankar will attend the 12th Mekong Ganga Cooperation Mechanism Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat.
(with inputs from the agency)
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