Myanmar should divulge details of atomic efforts it has conducted and provide information to U.N. specialists on possible sensitive trade with North Korea, the Institute for Science and International Security said on Friday (see GSN, June 3).
Burmese Vice President Tin Aung Myint Oo last week reportedly said the country had “halted (its nuclear research) program as (the) international community may misunderstand Myanmar over the issue.” The country is too poor to pursue a nuclear arsenal, he added.
“Myanmar made arrangements for nuclear research with the assistance of Russia in order that Myanmar will not lag behind other countries in that field and to improve its education and health sectors," the state-controlled New Light of Myanmar newspaper quoted the official as telling Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), who visited the country last week.
Washington has longstanding fears over nuclear operations in Myanmar. There are also worries regarding illicit North Korean-Burmese weapons dealings, including the possibility that Pyongyang has supported alleged efforts by Myanmar to develop a nuclear bomb.
“Myanmar deals with all global family members, and North Korea, a global family member … nevertheless, after the (United Nations) released provisions of resolutions 1718 and 1874, Myanmar has been abiding by the provisions as it is a U.N. member,” the vice president said (see GSN, June 12, 2009).
ISIS analysts David Albright and Andrea Stricker said "Myanmar should take this opportunity to improve its transparency and increase international confidence in its pledge to close down its nuclear research program and enforce U.N. Security Council resolutions on North Korea.
"Myanmar should answer questions the International Atomic Energy Agency has posed about some of its activities. It should invite the U.N. Panel of Experts tasked with investigating North Korea’s compliance with U.N. Security Council resolutions forbidding nuclear related trade and nuclear cooperation with other countries, and answer any questions about transfers between North Korea to Myanmar or organized by North Korea (see GSN, April 20). These actions would be significant steps toward verifying the vice president’s statements and closing the case on international concerns about Myanmar’s nuclear activities" (Institute for Science and International Security release, June 3).
Source:http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20110606_6058.php
Burmese Vice President Tin Aung Myint Oo last week reportedly said the country had “halted (its nuclear research) program as (the) international community may misunderstand Myanmar over the issue.” The country is too poor to pursue a nuclear arsenal, he added.
“Myanmar made arrangements for nuclear research with the assistance of Russia in order that Myanmar will not lag behind other countries in that field and to improve its education and health sectors," the state-controlled New Light of Myanmar newspaper quoted the official as telling Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), who visited the country last week.
Washington has longstanding fears over nuclear operations in Myanmar. There are also worries regarding illicit North Korean-Burmese weapons dealings, including the possibility that Pyongyang has supported alleged efforts by Myanmar to develop a nuclear bomb.
“Myanmar deals with all global family members, and North Korea, a global family member … nevertheless, after the (United Nations) released provisions of resolutions 1718 and 1874, Myanmar has been abiding by the provisions as it is a U.N. member,” the vice president said (see GSN, June 12, 2009).
ISIS analysts David Albright and Andrea Stricker said "Myanmar should take this opportunity to improve its transparency and increase international confidence in its pledge to close down its nuclear research program and enforce U.N. Security Council resolutions on North Korea.
"Myanmar should answer questions the International Atomic Energy Agency has posed about some of its activities. It should invite the U.N. Panel of Experts tasked with investigating North Korea’s compliance with U.N. Security Council resolutions forbidding nuclear related trade and nuclear cooperation with other countries, and answer any questions about transfers between North Korea to Myanmar or organized by North Korea (see GSN, April 20). These actions would be significant steps toward verifying the vice president’s statements and closing the case on international concerns about Myanmar’s nuclear activities" (Institute for Science and International Security release, June 3).
Source:http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20110606_6058.php
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