[ALOCHONA] Myanmar pulls back warships, stops exploration in Bay

Myanmar pulls back warships, stops exploration in Bay   Bangladesh Navy ship on patrol in the Bay of Bengal. Myanmar yesterday withdrew two warships from the Bay of Bengal after a four-day standoff with Bangladesh over mineral-rich waters, learnt to have been in mediation of China, informed sources said.A high power Bangladeshi delegation led by foreign secretary Touhid Hossain now also in Myanmar to defuse the tension. The tension between the two neighbouring countries began after Myanmar sent warships to support a Korean company drilling some 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Bangladesh's Saint Martin Island. Bangladesh immediately deployed four warships in the area and warned it would take "all possible measures" to protect its sovereignty. "Myanmar has withdrawn two warships," a senior Bangladesh Naval officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP news agency. "It's a positive response. There is now very little tension. The four other ships engaged there for exploration activities are also preparing to back out. Their drilling works have already been stopped," he said. "We will also withdraw our vessels as soon as they remove drilling ships," he added. According to a Myanmar government official, the Bangladeshi delegation now in the capital for talks with the Myanmar authority.Myanmar has discovered huge reserves of natural gas in the Bay of Bengal and has made it clear it intends to explore further. Bangladesh and Myanmar have held a series of meetings in the past year aimed at resolving the dispute over their maritime boundary.Earlier, on late Wednesday Myanmar stopped oil and gas exploration in deep-sea blocks in disputed waters in the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh's Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury earlier said, the government would do everything needed to protect its sovereignty and rightful claims in the Bay of Bengal.China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged both countries to take measures to resolve the dispute amicably. "As a friend and neighbour of both countries, China hopes to play a role through appropriate means," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters at a regular briefing. Myanmar on Tuesday said, it would go ahead with the exploration of the deep-sea blocks. Yangon summoned the Bangladesh ambassador on Sunday to complain after Dhaka sent navy ships to the area. Technical delegations from both sides were scheduled to meet in Dhaka on November 16 and 17 to discuss maritime boundary demarcation.   http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/11/07/news0315.htm

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