Foreign relations of Burma
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Burma (also known as Myanmar) remains a pariah state to several nations due mainly to its human rights record. While Burma's foreign relations with many states (particularly Western nations) are strained, it shares close connections with some of its neighbor states.
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[edit] European Union and the United States
The United States has placed broad sanctions on Burma 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 Burma, including an arms embargo, cessation of trade preferences, and suspension of all aid with the exception of humanitarian aid.[1]
US 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 Burma 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 Burma. 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]
[edit] Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Burma is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and part of ASEAN+3 and the East Asia Summit. While Burma's presence in ASEAN was seen as a test of the organisation's philosophy of constructive engagement, the presence of Burma in ASEAN however has started to be seen as an embarrassment to the organisation, because of Burma's human rights record and lack of democracy [1]. Burma agreed to relinquish its turn to hold the rotating ASEAN presidency in 2006 due to others member states' concern. [2].
Asean will not defend Burma at any international forum following the military regime's refusal to restore democracy. In April 2007, the Malaysian Foreign Ministry parliamentary secretary Ahmad Shabery Cheek said Malaysia and other Asean members had decided not to defend Burma if the country was raised for discussion at any international conference. "Now Burma has to defend itself if it was bombarded at any international forum," he said when winding up a debate at committee stage for the Foreign Ministry. He was replying to queries from Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang on the next course of action to be taken by Malaysia and Asean with the Burmese military junta. Lim had said Malaysia must play a proactive role in pursuing regional initiatives to bring about a change in Burma and support efforts to bring the situation in Burma to the UN Security Council's attention. [5]
[edit] Bilateral relations
[edit] People's Republic of China
The People's Republic of China had poor relations with Burma 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 Burma enjoyed a bitter-sweet relation with China.[citation needed] Burma'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 Burma had many border disputes, long before British annexation of Burma. The last border dispute culminated in 1956, when the People's Liberation Army invaded northern Burma, 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 Islands 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.
Burma has an embassy in Beijing and consulate-generals in Kunming and Hong Kong
[edit] Republic of China
Although Burma does not officially recognize the Republic of China, there is much other interaction between the two countries. Many Taiwanese own businesses in Burma, and the Chinese community in major Burmese cities, like Yangon are closer to Taiwan than Mainland China[citation needed]. Another fact would be the existence of a direct flight route to Taipei, but not to major Chinese cities, apart from Kunming, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Air China also operates a direct flight (CA905) linking Beijing and Yangon.
[edit] Republic of India
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 Burma critic, said that Coco Island was part of India until it was donated to Burma by Nehru. Coco Island is located at 18 km from the Indian Nicobar Islands.
Burma has an embassy in New Delhi.
[edit] Pakistan
[edit] Bangladesh
[edit] Thailand
There is sporadic conflict with Thailand over the alignment of the border. Burma has an embassy in Bangkok.
[edit] North Korea
In 1983 North Korean agents attempted to assassinate then South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan during a visit to Burma. Although the President was unharmed, 21 people were killed and Burma suspended diplomatic relations in response. Relations were normalized in April 2007 during a visit by North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Yong Il to Burma. [3]
[edit] Timeline of diplomatic representation
Below are the years that countries have established ambassador-level diplomatic relationships with Burma.
- 1947: Pakistan, United Kingdom, United States of America
- 1948: France, India, Netherlands, Russia, Thailand
- 1949: Indonesia, Sri Lanka
- 1950: Italy, China (as People's Republic of China), Serbia (as Yugoslavia)
- 1953: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Egypt, Israel
- 1954: Finland, Germany, Japan
- 1955: Cambodia, Denmark, Poland
- 1956: Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic and Slovakia), Hungary, Iraq, Lao, Mongolia, Norway, Philippines, Romania, Sweden
- 1957: Switzerland
- 1958: Canada, Greece, New Zealand, Malaysia, Turkey
- 1960: Nepal
- 1966: Singapore
- 1967: Spain
- 1968: Algeria, Iran
- 1970: Maldives, Nigeria
- 1972: Bangladesh, Syria
- 1975: Argentina, North Korea (withdrawn from 1983-but reinstated 2007), South Korea, Vietnam
- 1976: Albania, Cuba, Mauritania, Mexico, Portugal
- 1977: Costa Rica
- 1978: Mauritius, Morocco
- 1982: Brazil, Chile, Panama
- 1985: Cyprus
- 1987: Vanuatu
- 1988: Colombia
- 1989: Peru
- 1990: Venezuela
- 1991: Papua New Guinea
- 1983: Brunei
- 1995: Ghana, South Africa
- 1997: Kenya
- 1998: Kuwait
- 1999: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Croatia, Georgia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine
- 2000: Kyrgyzstan
- 2001: Uruguay, Uzbekistan
- 2003: Macedonia
- 2005: Ireland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan
- 2006: Montenegro, Slovenia
- 2007: North Korea
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ The EU's relations with Burma / Myanmar. European Union. Retrieved on 2006-07-13.
- ^ "Dilemma of dealing with Burma", BBC News, 2004-10-20. Retrieved on 2004-11-02.
- ^ "How Best to Rid the World of Monsters", Washington Post, 2003-06-23. Retrieved on 2006-05-24.
- ^ "Reuters Belgian group seeks Total boycott over Myanmar", Ibiblio, Reuters, 1999-05-10. Retrieved on 2006-06-24.
- ^ "Asean Will Not Defend Myanmar At International Fora - Ahmad Shabery", Bernama, 2007-04-19. Retrieved on 2007-04-23.
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