Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s Russia trip yields three-pronged benefits
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Phyo (NP News)
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s recent overseas visit centered on attending the World Atomic Week forum in Moscow, while also serving as a platform for bilateral talks with Russia, Kazakhstan, and China. The trip marked progress in nuclear, space, and economic cooperation. Attendees of the forum included Russian President Vladimir Putin, the President of Belarus, the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Ethiopia, and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Speaking at the airport after his return, the Senior General referred to the forum as "a very special forum," pointing to the role of Myanmar as a member of the IAEA. "The major activity is to share views on the peaceful use of atomic energy. The benefits we have gained are quite good," he said.
During the trip, Myanmar also signed two important agreements — one on nuclear cooperation and the other on space collaboration. "That is also the first time the country has taken a step in these areas," the Senior General remarked, indicating the importance of these agreements for the future of Myanmar.
During a separate bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the two leaders reviewed what had been achieved since their last meeting in March. The discussions revolved around the possibilities of broadening collaboration in areas such as commerce, finance, energy, transport, military, nuclear energy, and space.
During the second meeting of the Senior General with the President of Kazakhstan which was held during his extended trip to Kazakhstan, they moved on from their initial talks to discussing how to deepen their bilateral cooperation in various fields such as investment, science and technology, urban development, and agriculture.
The Senior General mentioned that Kazakhstan is rich with natural resources such as oil and gas, copper, gold, chromium, and iron, and is also the leading country in the world for wheat production. Moreover, he was quite enthusiastic about the idea of Myanmar increasing its high-value export products with Pawsan rice being the first export product to be expanded. “Both sides are ready and willing to broaden the areas of bilateral cooperation,” he added.
During his return trip, the Senior General temporary stopped at Kunming Airport on his way back. There, he had a meeting with Mr. Hu Dapeng, Member of the Standing Committee of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, and Mr. Deng Xiju, Special Envoy for Southeast Asian Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Talking through the leader of government's press team, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said that the talks dipped into the four issues of deepening relations between China and Myanmar, making sure peace and stability along the border, pushing forward projects under the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), as well as encouraging trade and exchanges between Myanmar and Yunnan Province.
Overall, the Senior General’s visit, which combined participation in the international atomic forum with strategic engagements in Russia, Kazakhstan, and China, can be seen as yielding three-pronged benefits. The trip underscored Myanmar’s pursuit of broader diplomatic, economic, and technological cooperation, which officials described as significant progress in terms of foreign relations. –