Myanmar's Interests Closely Intertwined With Thailand, Says Country's Defence Chief

NAY PYI TAW, Sept 20 (BERNAMA-NNN-MNA) -- The Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar's Defence Services, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has stressed the need for Myanmar and Thailand to pay special attention to relations between their armed forces.

During a call on Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at Governmental House in Bangkok on Tuesday, he said the heads of the two countries should pay special attention to the bilateral High Level Committee as being the most crucial for the relations between the armed forces of the two countries.

Myanmar and Thailand have a long history of amity and relations between the two countries and two Tatmadaws (armed forces), he noted. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have reached their 65th anniversary this year and Myanmar's interests are closely intertwined with those of Thailand, he said.

He added that Myanmar was concerned about the narcotic problem in the border region and expressed the strong belief that Thailand would cooperate with Myanmar in dealing with the problem.

He called for relations between the armed forces of the two countries to be further be promoted. Myanmar's Tatmadaw has been extending a helping hand to Myanmar's democratic reforms since 2011. The reform process would move forward, he said.

He called for demarcation of border lines between Myanmar and Thailand at the height of relations.

The Thai Prime Minister expressed appreciation for achieving success in the addressing of border issues thanks to improved cooperation between the military of both countries.

The drugs problem, she said, could only be solved through cooperation and she pledged that Thailand would cooperate with Myanmar in the development of areas along their common border.

Also present at the meeting were Chief of the General Staff General Hla Htay Win and other senior Myanmar military officers, the Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, General Tanasak Patimapragorn, and senior Thai military officers.

-- BERNAMA-NNN-MNA

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