Next round talks in Myanmar-BANGLADESH-BURMA

Dhaka sees 'progress' Staff Correspondent
The Bangladesh-Myanmar expert-level maritime delimitation talks ended yesterday with decision to sit again in Yangon next January, only four months ahead of Myanmar's deadline for maritime demarcation claims to UN.

Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)-1982, Bangladesh must file its claim within July 27, 2011 to the UN, while India and Myanmar will have to claim the maritime demarcation with Bangladesh within June 29 and May 21 next year.

Sources present at the meeting say the two sides remained rigid on their stance on the methodology to be used in delimitation.


As Myanmar argues for equal-distance method, Bangladesh prefers the maritime boundaries to be drawn on the basis of equity. Though rigid in own position both the sides were cordial to settle the issue due to their bilateral interest, the sources add.

During the two-day talks, Bangladesh categorically asked the Myanmar delegation not to cross Bangladesh sea territory until a maritime delimitation deal is signed between the two countries.

However, the Bangladesh delegation termed the talks "incremental progress" as Myanmar shifted from its position and offered Bangladesh a corridor in sea territory.

"We've both exchanged our proposal but yet to reach an agreement. We'll sit again in January to reach a consensus," said MAK Mahmood, additional foreign secretary and also team leader of the Bangladesh side.

“If we accept their corridor proposal we'll be 'zone-locked' ," he added.

The sources say Myanmar did not agree to what Bangladesh asked about the hydrocarbon exploration issue.

"They say that Bangladesh's claim is very near to their coast and disagreed to honour the request," informs a meeting source.

Myanmar's Deputy Foreign Minister Maug Moyint was leading an 11-member expert team at the two-day dialogue that is fourth of its kind. The first-round talks were held on March 30 this year.

The maritime issues between the countries have remained unresolved for 22 years.

Lately, tension flared up when the Myanmar government engaged South Korean Daewoo International Corp in drilling for hydrocarbon reserves in the disputed territory.

The Myanmar ships entered Bangladesh territory marked as deep-sea blocks 8-13 early this month ignoring warnings from the Bangladesh Navy, who soon moved to regain control over the area.