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Pointing
out that India attaches the highest importance to its relations with
Myanmar, a "close friend and neighbour", Dr. Singh said in a statement
shortly before his departure for Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar's new capital,
that "recent years have witnessed significant strengthening and
expansion of our bilateral relations" and his coming visit "will provide
an opportunity to review the progress in implementation of decisions"
taken during the "highly successful visit" of Myanmar President Thein
Sein to India in October last year.
"We
will also consider new initiatives and define a roadmap for the further
development of our cooperation in the years ahead," said Dr. Singh who
will be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Myanmar in quarter of a
century since Rajiv Gandhi's trip to that country in December, 1987.
The
Prime Minister, who will hold talks with Sein on Monday at Nay Pyi Taw,
said that during his visit to Myanmar he hopes to focus on "stronger
trade and investment links, development of border areas, improving
connectivity between our two countries and building capacity and human
resources".
"We
also hope to sign a number of agreements and MoUs to further strengthen
our bilateral cooperation in these areas, besides promoting
people-to-people contacts," Dr. Singh said.
Dr.
Singh, who will also meet leader of the opposition and Nobel Laureate
Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon on Tuesday, said India welcomes Myanmar's
"transition to democratic governance and the steps taken by the
government of Myanmar towards a more broad-based and inclusive
reconciliation process and offered to share "democratic experiences"
with that country.
Since
taking office more than a year ago, President Thein Sein has surprised
many critics by releasing Suu Kyi from 15 years of house arrest and
allowing her National League for Democracy (NLD) to contest and win
parliamentary elections in April this year, freeing other political
prisoners, opening talks with ethnic rebels and easing media censorship
and restoring labour unions right to strike.
Dr.
Singh said he was looking forward to address a cross- section of
Myanmar society and interact with the Indian and Indian-origin community
in Yangon on the final day of his visit.
The
Prime Minister said the "shared history and culture" of India and
Myanmar "provides a strong basis for the enhancement of contacts between
the people of our two countries" and India remains "committed to a
close, cooperative and mutually beneficial partnership with the
government and people of Myanmar".
Dr.
Singh said he is looking forward to visiting the historic Shwedagon
Pagoda, a testament to 2600 years of Buddhist heritage, and the mazar
(the grave) of the last Emperor of India, Bahadur Shah Zafar, in Yangon.
The
Pagoda houses the hairs of Lord Buddha who had given them to two
merchant brothers in return for a honey cake they offered to him.
High
on Singh's agenda of talks with Myanmar President Thein Sein, a former
army general heading a quasi-civilian government, will be deepening ties
in energy, security, connectivity, trade and information technology.
The two countries are expected to sign a number of agreements in energy sector and connectivity during the visit.
The
high-points among the slew of agreements will be the ones relating to
an offshore gas block awarded to private Indian company Jubilant Energy
in global competition and a passenger bus service between Imphal and
Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city after Yangon
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