India's position is clear on Myanmar, says External Affairs Ministry

The External Affairs Ministry on Monday refused to comment on whether the ongoing situation in Myanmar will come up for discussion during PM Narendra Modi's forthcoming visit to the US this week

The External Affairs Ministry on Monday refused to comment on whether the ongoing situation in Myanmar will come up for discussion during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forthcoming visit to the US this week, but added that India's position is clear on Myanmar.

Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra while addressing mediapersons on Modi's state visit to the US from June 21-23, in response to a question on whether Myanmar's worsening situation and US' divergent views on the country vis-a-vis India, would come up for discussion during deliberations between Modi and US president Joe Biden, said that it cannot be pre-judged as to what the two leaders will discuss.

However, he added it can be expected that regional and global situations will come up for discussion.

"It's not correct to frame any agenda. However India's position is clear on Myanmar and US understands it," Kwatra said.

"We share a very large border with Myanmar, which is our neighbour. The kind of framework we deal with it, is different. We have been providing continuous humanitarian assistance to Myanmar, even during troubled times their. We can only try and wish that the country remains stable and peaceful," the foreign secretary added.

Various think tanks in the US have been hoping that Washington should seize the moment to engage with India on Myanmar and urge New Delhi to work towards alleviating the humanitarian situation and help establish democracy in the South-east Asian nation.

To another question on reports of some pre-planned protests against human rights violations in India, which the prime minister may face during his visit, the foreign secretary said that though no comments can be offered on any such planned protests, the visit is being viewed with a lot of positive intent in the US.

"We sense a positive intent on prime minister's US visit and are determined to move towards new domains of partnership with US," Kwatra said.

--IANS

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