Not sure what the Myanmar case is, I dont think we can make comments.
You know, some things are not so simple, they are rather complicated, and it is best that they are resolved internally, domestically first.
When Anwar was purged and jailed, did ASEAN make negative comments?
When Thai military overturned democracy and launched coup, did ASEAN want to condemn Thailand?
You know, all these have underlying domestic reasons, some kind of power struggles and social polarizations between different powers.
It is best that such cases should be resolved internally.
You know like when a family or a household is having a dispute and an argument, it is best that the neighbours be a bit more respectful and let them solve it themselves.
I believe the same attitude must be maintained with Myanmar.
The funny thing I notice is that there seem to be a special interest by some Western block countries toward Myanmar. I dont think they condem Thai military who anyway did the same thing like what Myanmar military did. So I dont think things are so simple, there must be some kind of reason for this special interest.
Even for ASEAN, I dont think it is embarrasing. What is embarrasing I think is ASEAN trying to appease and grovel to the Western block protests. So they become affected and scold Myanmar as well. This kind of attitude is embarrasing.
Originally posted by Meat Pao:Not sure what the Myanmar case is, I dont think we can make comments.
You know, some things are not so simple, they are rather complicated, and it is best that they are resolved internally, domestically first.
When Anwar was purged and jailed, did ASEAN make negative comments?
When Thai military overturned democracy and launched coup, did ASEAN want to condemn Thailand?
You know, all these have underlying domestic reasons, some kind of power struggles and social polarizations between different powers.
It is best that such cases should be resolved internally.
You know like when a family or a household is having a dispute and an argument, it is best that the neighbours be a bit more respectful and let them solve it themselves.
I believe the same attitude must be maintained with Myanmar.
The funny thing I notice is that there seem to be a special interest by some Western block countries toward Myanmar. I dont think they condem Thai military who anyway did the same thing like what Myanmar military did. So I dont think things are so simple, there must be some kind of reason for this special interest.
Even for ASEAN, I dont think it is embarrasing. What is embarrasing I think is ASEAN trying to appease and grovel to the Western block protests. So they become affected and scold Myanmar as well. This kind of attitude is embarrasing.
this is china talking....Have you ever visit myanmar ? You have no idea how much power and weath the military Junta accumulate.
What do you mean "This is China talking" ?
Not quite understand your point.
Originally posted by Meat Pao:What do you mean "This is China talking" ?
Not quite understand your point.
Than you should not comment on this topics.
I should not comment on this topic because you made a short non-sequitor "this is China talking, have you ever visited Myanmar" ?
Perhaps it is you who should not even type anything on any public forum.
Originally posted by xtreyier:
Arapahoe, just for discussion sake.The critical issue discussed here is democracy. Democracy for the Burmese people suffering under the repulsive Junta.
I was once a flag waving idealist in support of democracy for the Burmese people, after some of the monks were shot dead and many tortured to death. I signed pettitions international and local in support of over throwing the regime in any form.
But then one day i realise one important truth. Democracy is an ideal that can only be bestowed upon by the people themselves, and not given freely by others. The nation ( people) must want it, and want it badly enough collectively to SEEK every way possible to achieve it.
Anything other than that will only lead to quagmires such as Vietnam and Iraq.
The French had only pitchfork and farm utensils against the might of the despotic French Sun King Louis, and won.
Russians adored Communism, but soon such tastes turned sour in the hands of Stalin. The people were repressed and ensured that they would never rebel.
But in time, communist doctrines even failed the moderate politburo members and made them disillusion. Freedom came in the hands of Yeltsin.
One way or another, freedom taste better if it comes from the hands of a nation's own people. Any other way is an open invitation to dictatorship as history had shown. We, as outsiders of nations involved, can only offer our moral support and use positive engagement to help Mynmar and its people.
To isolate Mynmar is to make the resource rich country with rice that could feed the world and oil to fill every factory in China, turn to fellow despots such as N. Korea for support, and worse still if the Junta feels the rest of the world is oppressing them and turn to Osama and his gang for tech and military support.
The critical issue, I repeat - Democracy can only be won by its own people, with the pen or the sword, and never in the history of mankind had it been won for the people by other nations that do not turn sour later.
I do not believe there is a need to wavie the freedom flag. Nor to import a western democracy movement into Myanmar. Infact Aung San Suu Kyi has already agreed to a joint govt; idealogy of western democracy is relative. I don't think I have any illusion on this topics.
What is impediment to move forward is the fact that the military have NO intention of releasing power and change its uniform to a civil structure of govt. Couple with the fact that it has a big brother to give them the incentives to continue to stay in the Same path.
I do not think that it is in ASEAN interest to wait and expect myanmar break up from a civil war for a regime change nor it is Asean interest to see it become a Godzilla with a small Nuke power plant either.
The path of wait and see is the path of inaction. You can choose to take the long view, but Catalyst is the accent of change. I think overtime Asean will have to pay for the cost of waiting.
Originally posted by Meat Pao:I should not comment on this topic because you made a short non-sequitor "this is China talking, have you ever visited Myanmar" ?
Perhaps it is you who should not even type anything on any public forum.
Another one that is too comfort in SG.
Originally posted by Arapahoe:
what made you think that only the US did it ?.......look further back into our history.....u just have to find a person who know what he wants.
I've never said that only the US did it, but for the latter half of the past century they're certainly the ones who tried it the most.
And except for perhaps South Korea, i don't really see them succeeding that much.
Unintended consequences has always accompanied these actions of intervention into foreign countries. How many moderates have been propped up and turn out to be bigger monsters than their predeccessors?
I merely asked for you to show me successful examples of how such foreign interventions really helped the country and i should admit my ignorance and rest my case.
Originally posted by Arapahoe:
Another one that is too comfort in SG.
While from what i understand that you're currently in America, please don't assume that we are ignorant of world news or world events. Oppressed as we are, we still have access to foreign published books and the internet.
To us, America is no better than China in its attempts to expand its sphere of influence.
Americans are just as guilty as being too comfortable in their country and unable to comprehend the consequences of pursuing the "morally correct" choices. From what i understand, they have officials that decide foreign policies who have never even been to the country in the first place.
ASEAN charter clearly states;
"Respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states" "Peaceful settlement of disputes"
"Non-interference in member states' internal affairs"
"Right to live without external interference"
Therefore it has limitations.
Originally posted by Stevenson101:
While from what i understand that you're currently in America, please don't assume that we are ignorant of world news or world events. Oppressed as we are, we still have access to foreign published books and the internet.To us, America is no better than China in its attempts to expand its sphere of influence.
Americans are just as guilty as being too comfortable in their country and unable to comprehend the consequences of pursuing the "morally correct" choices. From what i understand, they have officials that decide foreign policies who have never even been to the country in the first place.
Why.....Feeling unjust.....Did i mention anything about the West or the US when I mention it is a predicament for ASEAN? Did I said anything about deploying western style of democracy in myanmar?
When we talk about Myanmar, Isn't its part of ASEAN sphere of influence isn;t it not?
Asean came out from Colonial....And Particularly Myanmar was exploited by the Brit. So Now we see that the Generals of Myanmar are so willingly to be exploited again now by China? What is the different? People are not getting better, the wealth goes to the few military elites.
we enjoyed seeing myanmar get rape by China on its resources? At the expense of its burmese? When LKY mention that the Junta General is Dump Perhaps it is Really Dump.
This has nothing to do with the West...Nor because i stayed outside of SG.
All civil govt apply certain moral law to govern their country. And millions of people in the regions live by it. That is a moral code of conduct that Asean Respect the civil code, we do not interfere. But not a military govt. It does not provide the civil code, it does not answer to the LAW it does as it goes along.
Asean will pay at some point if it allow Myanmar to go uncheck. If Asean allow the regime to grow as it is. AT some point the Generals will either have to drop the uniform or it will have to go .Or you will have Kim Jong IL Style on our side of the region.... A regime who know how to insulate itself to survive and get stronger?
Originally posted by ahtansh:ASEAN charter clearly states;
"Respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states" "Peaceful settlement of disputes"
"Non-interference in member states' internal affairs"
"Right to live without external interference"Therefore it has limitations.
yes but i have to say we are refering to a civil govt not a military govt.
Originally posted by Stevenson101:
I've never said that only the US did it, but for the latter half of the past century they're certainly the ones who tried it the most.And except for perhaps South Korea, i don't really see them succeeding that much.
Unintended consequences has always accompanied these actions of intervention into foreign countries. How many moderates have been propped up and turn out to be bigger monsters than their predeccessors?
I merely asked for you to show me successful examples of how such foreign interventions really helped the country and i should admit my ignorance and rest my case.
i am not talking about the wider region.....i mean our region.
The funny thing I notice is that there seem to be a special interest by some Western block countries toward Myanmar. I dont think they condem Thai military who anyway did the same thing like what Myanmar military did. So I dont think things are so simple, there must be some kind of reason for this special interest.
The reason is simple.
Thailand is aligned with USA.
Myanmar is aligned with China.
West sees China as threat.
So those who align with China, they will criticise.
Those align with west they don't care.
The major actors
The tragedy of Burma, whose land area is about the size of George W. Bush’s Texas, is that its population is being used as a human stage prop in a drama which has been scripted in Washington by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the George Soros Open Society Institute, Freedom House and Gene Sharp’s Albert Einstein Institution, a US intelligence asset used to spark “non-violent” regime change around the world on behalf of the US strategic agenda.
Burma’s “Saffron Revolution,” like the Ukraine “Orange Revolution” or the Georgia “Rose Revolution” and the various Color Revolutions instigated in recent years against strategic states surrounding Russia, is a well-orchestrated exercise in Washington-run regime change, down to the details of “hit-and-run” protests with “swarming” mobs of Buddhists in saffron, internet blogs, mobile SMS links between protest groups, well-organized protest cells which disperse and reform. CNN made the blunder during a September broadcast of mentioning the active presence of the NED behind the protests in Myanmar.
In fact the US State Department admits to supporting the activities of the NED in Myanmar. The NED is a US Government-funded “private” entity whose activities are designed to support US foreign policy objectives, doing today what the CIA did during the Cold War. As well the NED funds Soros’ Open Society Institute in fostering regime change in Myanmar. In an October 30 2003 Press Release the State Department admitted, “The United States also supports organizations such as the National Endowment for Democracy, the Open Society Institute and Internews, working inside and outside the region on a broad range of democracy promotion activities.” It all sounds very self-effacing and noble of the State Department. Is it though?
In reality the US State Department has recruited and trained key opposition leaders from numerous anti-government organizations. It has poured the relatively huge sum (for Myanmar) of more than $2.5 million annually into NED activities in promoting regime change in Myanmar since at least 2003. The US regime change, its Saffron Revolution, is being largely run according to informed reports, out of the US Consulate General in bordering Chaing Mai, Thailand. There activists are recruited and trained, in some cases directly in the USA, before being sent back to organize inside Myanmar. The USA’s NED admits to funding key opposition media including the New Era Journal, Irrawaddy and the Democratic Voice of Burma radio.
The concert-master of the tactics of Saffron monk-led non-violence regime change is Gene Sharp, founder of the deceptively-named Albert Einstein Institution in Cambridge Massachusetts, a group funded by an arm of the NED to foster US-friendly regime change in key spots around the world. Sharp’s institute has been active in Burma since 1989, just after the regime massacred some 3000 protestors to silence the opposition. CIA special operative and former US Military Attache in Rangoon, Col. Robert Helvey, an expert in clandestine operations, introduced Sharp to Burma in 1989 to train the opposition there in non-violent strategy. Interestingly, Sharp was also in China two weeks before the dramatic events at Tiananmen Square.
Why Myanmar now?
A relevant question is why the US Government has such a keen interest in fostering regime change in Myanmar at this juncture. We can dismiss rather quickly the idea that it has genuine concern for democracy, justice, human rights for the oppressed population there. Iraq and Afghanistan are sufficient testimony to the fact Washington’s paean to Democacy is propaganda cover for another agenda.
The question is what would lead to such engagement in such a remote place as Myanmar?
Geopolitical control seems to be the answer. Control ultimately of the strategic sea lanes from the Persian Gulf to the South China Sea. The coastline of Myanmar provides naval access in the proximity of one of the world’s most strategic water passages, the Strait of Malacca, the narrow ship passage between Malaysia and Indonesia.
The Pentagon has been trying to militarize the region since September 11, 2001 on the argument of defending against possible terrorist attack. The US has managed to gain an airbase on Banda Aceh, the Sultan Iskandar Muda Air Force Base, on the northernmost tip of Indonesia. The governments of the region, including Myanmar, however, have adamantly refused US efforts to militarize the region. A glance at a map will confirm the strategic importance of Myanmar.
The Strait of Malacca, linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans, is the shortest sea route between the Persian Gulf and China. It is the key chokepoint in Asia. More than 80% of all China’s oil imports are shipped by tankers passing the Malacca Strait. The narrowest point is the Phillips Channel in the Singapore Strait, only 1.5 miles wide at its narrowest. Daily more than 12 million barrels in oil supertankers pass through this narrow passage, most en route to the world’s fastest-growing energy market, China or to Japan.
If the strait were closed, nearly half of the world's tanker fleet would be required to sail further. Closure would immediately raise freight rates worldwide. More than 50,000 vessels per year transit the Strait of Malacca. The region from Maynmar to Banda Aceh in Indonesia is fast becoming one of the world’s most strategic chokepoints. Who controls those waters controls China’s energy supplies.
That strategic importance of Myanmar has not been lost on Beijing.
Since it became clear to China that the US was hell-bent on a unilateral militarization of the Middle East oil fields in 2003, Beijing has stepped up its engagement in Myanmar. Chinese energy and military security, not human rights concerns drive their policy.
In recent years Beijing has poured billions of dollars in military assistance into Myanmar, including fighter, ground-attack and transport aircraft; tanks and armored personnel carriers; naval vessels and surface-to-air missiles. China has built up Myanmar railroads and roads and won permission to station its troops in Myanmar. China, according to Indian defense sources, has also built a large electronic surveillance facility on Myanmar’s Coco Islands and is building naval bases for access to the Indian Ocean.
In fact Myanmar is an integral part of what China terms its “string of pearls,” its strategic design of establishing military bases in Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia in order to counter US control over the Strait of Malacca chokepoint. There is also energy on and offshore of Myanmar, and lots of it.
The gas fields of Myanmar
Oil and gas have been produced in Myanmar since the British set up the Rangoon Oil Company in 1871, later renamed Burmah Oil Co. The country has produced natural gas since the 1970’s, and in the 1990’s it granted gas concessions to the foreign companies ElfTotal of France and Premier Oil of the UK in the Gulf of Martaban. Later Texaco and Unocal (now Chevron) won concessions at Yadana and Yetagun as well. Alone Yadana has an estimated gas reserve of more than 5 trillion cubic feet with an expected life of at least 30 years. Yetagun is estimated to have about a third the gas of the Yadana field.
In 2004 a large new gas field, Shwe field, off the coast of Arakan was discovered.
By 2002 both Texaco and Premier Oil withdrew from the Yetagun project following UK government and NGO pressure. Malaysia’s Petronas bought Premier’s 27% stake. By 2004 Myanmar was exporting Yadana gas via pipeline to Thailand worth annually $1 billion to the Myanmar regime.
In 2005 China, Thailand and South Korea invested in expanding the Myanmar oil and gas sector, with export of gas to Thailand rising 50%. Gas export today is Myanmar’s most important source of income. Yadana was developed jointly by ElfTotal, Unocal, PTT-EP of Thailand and Myanmar’s state MOGE, operated by the French ElfTotal. Yadana supplies some 20% of Thai natural gas needs.
Today the Yetagun field is operated by Malaysia’s Petronas along with MOGE and Japan’s Nippon Oil and PTT-EP. The gas is piped onshore where it links to the Yadana pipeline. Gas from the Shwe field is to come online beginning 2009. China and India have been in strong contention over the Shwe gas field reserves.
India loses, China wins
This past summer Myanmar signed a Memorandum of Understanding with PetroChina to supply large volumes of natural gas from reserves of the Shwe gasfield in the Bay of Bengal. The contract runs for 30 years. India was the main loser. Myanmar had earlier given India a major stake in two offshore blocks to develop gas to have been transmitted via pipeline through Bangladesh to India’s energy-hungry economy. Political bickering between India and Bangladesh brought the Indian plans to a standstill.
China took advantage of the stalemate. China simply trumped India with an offer to invest billions in building a strategic China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline across Myanmar from Myanmar’s deepwater port at Sittwe in the Bay of Bengal to Kunming in China’s Yunnan Province, a stretch of more than 2,300 kilometers. China plans an oil refinery in Kumming as well.
What the Myanmar-China pipelines will allow is routing of oil and gas from Africa (Sudan among other sources) and the Middle East (Iran, Saudi Arabia) independent of dependence on the vulnerable chokepoint of the Malacca Strait. Myanmar becomes China’s “bridge” linking Bangladesh and countries westward to the China mainland independent of any possible future moves by Washington to control the strait...
China secures Myanmar energy route
Apr 3, 2009
BANGALORE - China and Myanmar have signed an agreement for the construction of
fuel pipelines that will transport Middle East and African crude oil from
Myanmar's Arakan coast to China's southwestern Yunnan province -
short-circuiting the long sea voyage past Singapore - while also drawing from
Myanmar's own gas reserves.
Under the March 27 agreement, a gas pipeline will tap into Myanmar's reserves
at the Shwe gas fields, and an oil pipeline will carry Middle East and African
crude that is currently transported in tankers through the Malacca Strait to
China...
Not sure if this is reported in SG, but i think Sin Govt is getting itself dirty and deep with a trouble regime that morally its hard to stand together.
I hope at somepoint in the Future the military junta will form a "reasonably acceptable civil govt. So that all the SG govt effort can be partially cleaned some of its moral dirt off.
BBC reported ....
About 3,000 ethnic Karen villagers have reportedly fled from Burma into Thailand in recent days because of a new Burmese military offensive.
Aid groups say the refugees are from Ler Per Her camp in eastern Karen state, near where the Burmese army is reported to be attacking Karen rebels.
It is thought to be one of the largest movements of refugees across the Thai-Burma border in a decade.
Meanwhile Burma still faces pressure to halt Aung San Suu Kyi's trial.
The pro-democracy leader is charged with breaching the terms of her house arrest, a charge that could leave her in jail for up to five years.
Former Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong visited Burma on a "goodwill trip" on Monday, as international anger against the regime continued to mount.
i saw the news clip notice that GCK took a RSAF plane to Myanmar? can anyone confirm that?
Originally posted by ahtansh:ASEAN charter clearly states;
"Respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states" "Peaceful settlement of disputes"
"Non-interference in member states' internal affairs"
"Right to live without external interference"Therefore it has limitations.
Well then.. perhaps it is about time ASEAN abolish such policy and adopt something that encourages more ethical behaviors from every sovereign state.
Rogue states are rogue because there's no immediate punitive repurcussions from bad governance.
Originally posted by jojobeach:Well then.. perhaps it is about time ASEAN abolish such policy and adopt something that encourages more ethical behaviors from every sovereign state.
Rogue states are rogue because there's no immediate punitive repurcussions from bad governance.
Not if one of the members is enjoying lucrative trade, especially in the arms industry. Money trumps everything else
I can't imagine if the UN Chief fail and high chances that he might not secure the release of Suu Kyi.
Ban warned over Myanmar visit![]() |
AFP/Yangon UN chief Ban Ki-moon prepared yesterday for a risky visit to Myanmar amid warnings that the trip will be a “huge failure” if he fails to secure the release of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Ban is set to arrive in the military-ruled nation today for a two-day visit that the UN says will focus on pressing the junta to free all political prisoners, including the Nobel peace laureate, who is currently on trial. He is due to meet junta leader Senior General Than Shwe and members of opposition parties including Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), but there are no plans yet for him to meet her, officials said. The 64-year-old was transferred from house arrest to prison in May to face trial on charges of breaching the terms of her detention after an American man swam to her house. She faces up to five years in jail if convicted. Human Rights Watch said Ban should not accept the return of Aung San Suu Kyi to house arrest, instead of imprisonment, as a sign of a successful visit. “Time and again, the UN has politely requested Aung San Suu Kyi’s release, but her ‘release’ back to house arrest would be a huge failure,” Kenneth Roth, New York-based HRW’s executive director, said in a statement. “Ban Ki-moon has offered Burma’s generals a roadmap to ending their international isolation... He should make it clear that the time for stalling and playing games is over and that real change is needed now,” he added. Aung San Suu Kyi has been in detention or under house arrest for most of the time since the junta refused to recognise her party’s landslide victory in Myanmar’s last elections, in 1990. Her trial is due to resume today, alongside that of US national John Yettaw, and NLD spokesman Nyan Win said that he would see her ahead of Ban’s arrival in Myanmar. “The authorities informed us that five central executive committee members of the NLD are to meet Mr Ban Ki-moon. We don’t know details yet,” Nyan Win said. He said the five did not include Aung San Suu Kyi, despite declaring earlier this week that any visit by Ban to Myanmar should include seeing the democracy icon. Myanmar officials said Ban would meet Than Shwe in the remote administrative capital Naypyidaw today, as well as with members of 10 political parties including the NLD, before flying back to Yangon tomorrow. The visit is Ban’s first to Myanmar since he came to urge the junta to accept international aid in the wake of devastating Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, which killed around 138,000 people. Ban acknowledged this week that the latest trip was diplomatically risky |
Originally posted by jojobeach:Well then.. perhaps it is about time ASEAN abolish such policy and adopt something that encourages more ethical behaviors from every sovereign state.
Rogue states are rogue because there's no immediate punitive repurcussions from bad governance.
ASEAN is taken for a ride by the mynamese, and imagine it is suppose to be the mynamar time to chair the asean meeting?? wha lau, Asean also kenna junta control liao....Singapore is currently the only country employing mynamese under legal workpermit. We are indeed so desparate for foreign workers and talents.
Originally posted by Arapahoe:I can't imagine if the UN Chief fail and high chances that he might not secure the release of Suu Kyi.
Ban warned over Myanmar visit
AFP/Yangon
UN chief Ban Ki-moon prepared yesterday for a risky visit to Myanmar amid warnings that the trip will be a “huge failure” if he fails to secure the release of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Ban is set to arrive in the military-ruled nation today for a two-day visit that the UN says will focus on pressing the junta to free all political prisoners, including the Nobel peace laureate, who is currently on trial.
He is due to meet junta leader Senior General Than Shwe and members of opposition parties including Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), but there are no plans yet for him to meet her, officials said.
The 64-year-old was transferred from house arrest to prison in May to face trial on charges of breaching the terms of her detention after an American man swam to her house. She faces up to five years in jail if convicted.
Human Rights Watch said Ban should not accept the return of Aung San Suu Kyi to house arrest, instead of imprisonment, as a sign of a successful visit.
“Time and again, the UN has politely requested Aung San Suu Kyi’s release, but her ‘release’ back to house arrest would be a huge failure,” Kenneth Roth, New York-based HRW’s executive director, said in a statement.
“Ban Ki-moon has offered Burma’s generals a roadmap to ending their international isolation... He should make it clear that the time for stalling and playing games is over and that real change is needed now,” he added.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been in detention or under house arrest for most of the time since the junta refused to recognise her party’s landslide victory in Myanmar’s last elections, in 1990.
Her trial is due to resume today, alongside that of US national John Yettaw, and NLD spokesman Nyan Win said that he would see her ahead of Ban’s arrival in Myanmar.
“The authorities informed us that five central executive committee members of the NLD are to meet Mr Ban Ki-moon. We don’t know details yet,” Nyan Win said.
He said the five did not include Aung San Suu Kyi, despite declaring earlier this week that any visit by Ban to Myanmar should include seeing the democracy icon.
Myanmar officials said Ban would meet Than Shwe in the remote administrative capital Naypyidaw today, as well as with members of 10 political parties including the NLD, before flying back to Yangon tomorrow.
The visit is Ban’s first to Myanmar since he came to urge the junta to accept international aid in the wake of devastating Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, which killed around 138,000 people.
Ban acknowledged this week that the latest trip was diplomatically risky
if Ban carried with him a few Billions Euro, maybe the junta will consider, otherwise, they will not entertain anyone, not even the UN chief, and especially a South Korean one.
Originally posted by angel7030:
ASEAN is taken for a ride by the mynamese, and imagine it is suppose to be the mynamar time to chair the asean meeting?? wha lau, Asean also kenna junta control liao....Singapore is currently the only country employing mynamese under legal workpermit. We are indeed so desparate for foreign workers and talents.
if myanmar chair asean than you see china sitting behind the curtain.....back to emperior dowager.
Originally posted by Ah Chia:China secures Myanmar energy route
Apr 3, 2009
BANGALORE - China and Myanmar have signed an agreement for the construction of fuel pipelines that will transport Middle East and African crude oil from Myanmar's Arakan coast to China's southwestern Yunnan province - short-circuiting the long sea voyage past Singapore - while also drawing from Myanmar's own gas reserves.
Under the March 27 agreement, a gas pipeline will tap into Myanmar's reserves at the Shwe gas fields, and an oil pipeline will carry Middle East and African crude that is currently transported in tankers through the Malacca Strait to China...
nothing new if you learned regional history you would know this since WWII.
Originally posted by Arapahoe:if myanmar chair asean than you see china sitting behind the curtain.....back to emperior dowager.
then we will be smoking opium again..wee..high high!!