Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 04:
A joint meeting with the Myanmarese trade delegation which arrived yesterday was held today and issues related to further development and stepping up the activities of the ongoing Indo-Myanmar border trade were discussed.
From the side of the Government of India and Manipur, the meeting held at State Guest House here commencing from 11 am was attended by officials of the Directorate of Commerce and Industries.
Representatives of Indo-Myanmar Border Trade Union, Indo-Myanmar Export-Import Association and Imphal-based National Identity Protection Committee (NIPCO) were also present during the meeting.
Those who spoke at the meeting expressed desire for increasing the number of trade items and hoped that facilitating normal trade within the existing border trade would be more beneficial to the traders.
From their side, the Myanmarese trade delegates emphasised on development of the Imphal-Tamu Road suitably while observing that numerous obstruction along the road from Moreh to Imphal has compelled the Myanmarese.
Vital issues discussed traders to pay attention on trading with Mizoram.
Moreover, security concerns of the Myanmarese traders is another cause of flagging border trade activities, they noted, while maintaining that security for its traders is not an issue for Myanmar.
Over and above the bilateral efforts being made to improve relationship between the two neighbouring countries, the meeting also discussed proposals like encouragement of people to people contact through various programmes like organising football matches, promotion of tourism, introducing letter of credit between the United Banks of India and Myanmar Economic Bank and increasing the number of trade items.
While the Myanmarese trade delegation is at Imphal, both sides would hold further discussion on these issues before adopting a joint resolution.
Based on the resolution, the two sides would exert pressures on their respective Governments for improvement of the existing border trade.