Yangon, Nov 02: Giving a fresh impetus to their ties, India and Myanmar today signed two agreements on enhancing joint education and research programmes and exempting visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders shortly after Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat arrived in this country on a five-day visit. The memorandum of understanding on education, providing for exchange of research materials, publication and information, organisation of joint conferences, seminars, joint research programmes and training, was inked by Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal and Myanmarese Deputy Education Minister U Myo Nyunt.
It also seeks organisation of various programmes for Ph.D students, exchange of academic and other administrative staff, scholars and students and collaboration of technology.
The accord on exemption of visa requirements was signed by Sibal and Myanmarese Deputy Foreign Minister U Khin Maung Win.
Earlier, as part of India`s `Look East` policy, Shekhawat arrived here this afternoon to a warm welcome, becoming the first Indian Vice President to visit Myanmar in 16 years.
Shekhawat, who is heading a high-level delegation, was received at the airport by Vice Senior General Maung Aye, who is number two in the hierarchy in Myanmar`s ruling military junta. Rajiv Gandhi had visited this country in 1987 as Prime Minister.
After the signing of the agreements, Shekhawat held wide ranging talks for an hour with Maung Aye who is vice chairman of the state peace development council of Myanmar. Later, aye hosted a banquet in the Vice President`s honour.
During his stay, Shekhawat would call on the top Myanmarese leader and senior General Than Shwe who is the chairman of the council and hold discussions with other leaders in the ruling junta.
Referring to the accords, officials said there has been growing cooperation between the two countries in human resource development particularly in higher education and science and technology.
They recalled that an MoU was signed between the external affairs ministry and the Myanmar government earlier this year for conducting seminars, lectures and training programmes for benefit of Ph.D scholars as per the requirements of Yangon University.
On the visa exemption agreement, they said its objective was to further strengthen and consolidate the already existing friendly ties between the two countries. It would exempt diplomatic and official passport holders from getting entry visa, transit visa or exit visa in Myanmar.
India attaches great importance to Myanmar, the only Asean nation sharing border with India. The discussions would cover the entire spectrum of bilateral relations including political, economic, trade and cultural issues, the officials said.
On the political side, discussions would cover issues of bilateral and regional interest, the officials said, adding the two countries would also review growth in bilateral trade and working of the joint trade committee set up this year.
The ministerial-level committee had set a target of annual bilateral trade of USD one billion by the year 2006.
Myanmar mostly exports natural gas, rice, pulses, non-ferrous metals, timberwood, precious stones while it imports machinery, chemicals, edible oil, pharmaceuticals and fertilizers.
India has assisted myanmar in a number of development projects in transport, human resources development, information and communication technology and energy.
Besides visiting Bagar and Mandalay where a Indian consulate last year, Shekhawat is scheduled to go to `mazaar` (mausoleum) of the last Mughal ruler of Delhi, Bahadur Shah Zafar. Bureau Report