Foreign relations of Myanmar

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Myanmar

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Myanmar (also known as Burma) remains a pariah state to several nations due to its human rights record. Myanmar's foreign relations, particularly with Western nations, have been strained. The United States has placed broad sanctions on Myanmar because of the military crackdown in 1988 and because of the military regime's refusal to honour the election results of the 1990 People's Assembly election. Similarly, the European Union has placed embargoes on Myanmar, including an arms embargo, cessation of trade preferences, and suspension of all aid with the exception of humanitarian aid.[1] U.S. and European government sanctions against the military government, coupled with boycotts and other direct pressure on corporations by western supporters of the Burmese democracy movement, have resulted in the withdrawal from Burma of most U.S. and many European companies. However, several Western companies remain due to loopholes in the sanctions. Asian corporations have generally remained willing to continue investing in Myanmar and to initiate new investments, particularly in natural resource extraction. The French oil company Total S.A. is able to operate the Yadana natural gas pipeline from Burma to Thailand despite the European Union's sanctions on Myanmar. Total is currently the subject of a lawsuit in French and Belgian courts for the condoning and use of Burman civilian slavery to construct the named pipeline. Experts say that the human rights abuses along the gas pipeline are the direct responsibility of Total S.A. and its American partner Chevron with aid and implementation by the Tatmadaw. Prior to its acquisition by Chevron, Unocal settled a similar human rights lawsuit for a reported multi-million dollar amount.[2] There remains active debate as to the extent to which the American-led sanctions have had adverse effects on the civilian population or on the military rulers.[3][4]

Contents

[edit] Asia

Myanmar is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and part of ASEAN+3 and the East Asia Summit. While Myanmar's presence in ASEAN was seen as a test of the organisation's philosophy of constructive engagement, the presence of Myanmar in ASEAN however has started to be seen as an embarrassment to the organisation, because of Myanmar's human rights record and lack of democracy [1]. Myanmar agreed to relinquish its turn to hold the rotating ASEAN presidency in 2006 due to others member states' concern. [2].

[edit] People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China had poor relations with Myanmar until the late 1980s, when it withdrew support for the long running insurgency of the Communist Party of Burma in 1986. However, in the early 1950s Myanmar enjoyed a bitter-sweet relation with China. Myanmar's U Thant and U Nu lobbied for China's entry as a permanent member into the Security Council, but denounced the invasion of Tibet.

China and Myanmar had many border disputes, long before British annexation of Myanmar. The last border dispute culminated in 1956, when the People's Liberation Army invaded northern Myanmar, but were repulsed. A border agreement was reached in 1960.

In the late 1960s, due to Ne Win's propaganda that the Chinese were responsible for crop failures, and the increasing number of ethnic Chinese students supporting Mao Zedong, by carrying the Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong books, anti Chinese riots broke out. China heavily berated the Burmese government and started a word war, but no other actions were taken. The anti Chinese riots continued till the early 1970s.

However, after 1986, China subsequently switched sides and began supplying the military junta with the majority of its arms in exchange for increased access to Burmese markets and a rumoured navy base on Coco Island in the Andaman Sea. China is supposed to have an intelligence gathering station on the Great Coco Island to monitor Indian naval activity as well as ISRO & DRDO missile and space launch activities. The influx of Chinese arms turned the tide in Burma against the ethnic insurgencies, many of which had relied indirectly on Chinese complicity. As a result the military junta of Burma is highly reliant on the Chinese for their currently high level of power.

[edit] Republic of China

Although Myanmar does not officially recognize the Republic of China, there is much other interaction between the two countries. Many Taiwanese own businesses in Myanmar, and the Chinese community in major Burmese cities, like Yangon are closer to Taiwan than China. Another fact would be the existence of a direct flight route to Taipei, but not to major Chinese cities, apart from Kunming in Yunnan.

[edit] India

Myanmar Embassy in New Delhi
Myanmar Embassy in New Delhi

As a result of increased Chinese influence in Burma as well as the safe haven and arms trafficking occurring along the Indo-Burmese border India has sought in recent years to shore up ties with the military junta. Numerous economic arrangements have been established including a roadway connecting the isolated provinces of Northeastern India with Mandalay which opens up trade with China, Burma, and gives access to the Burmese ports.

In an interview on the BBC, George Fernandes, former Indian Defence Minister and prominent Myanmar critic, said that Coco Island was part of India until it was donated to Burma (Myanmar) by Nehru. Coco Island is located at 18 km from the Indian Nicobar Island.

[edit] Thailand

There is sporadic conflict with Thailand over the alignment of the border.

[edit] Europe

The country has a relatively light presence in Europe.

[edit] North America

[edit] South America

[edit] Middle East

[edit] Africa

[edit] Oceania

[edit] Multilateral Organisations

[edit] See also

Portal:Current events/Southeast Asia
 Current events/Southeast Asia Portal

[edit] External links and references

  1. ^ The EU's relations with Burma / Myanmar. European Union. Retrieved on 2006-07-13.
  2. ^ "Dilemma of dealing with Burma", BBC News, 2004-10-20. Retrieved on 2004-11-02.
  3. ^ "How Best to Rid the World of Monsters", Washington Post, 2003-06-23. Retrieved on 2006-05-24.
  4. ^ "Reuters Belgian group seeks Total boycott over Myanmar", Ibiblio, Reuters, 1999-05-10. Retrieved on 2006-06-24.


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1 Has some territory in Europe.

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