Aizawl, Oct. 2 (IANS): Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga is keen to increase the cross-border trade with Myanmar and discussed this with a visiting military delegation of the neighbouring country, an official said on Wednesday.
The ten-member delegation from Myanmar, now on a two-day tour of Mizoram in a diplomatic outreach programme to study the federal system of India, met separately with the Chief Minister and senior officials of the Mizoram government on Tuesday evening.
“The Chief Minister while discussing to further boost the cross-border trade between the northeastern states and Myanmar, stressed on strengthening relations between India and Myanmar,” an official of Mizorama’s Information and Public Relations Department said.
He said the delegation members also expressed their appreciation of Mizoram’s peace process, which according to them has transformed it from a very troubled state into one of the most peaceful states of India.
“The Myanmar delegation members also expressed their wish to achieve similar sustained peace in their own country,” the official added.
The Myanmar delegation led by Lt. General Aung Lin Dwe, Office of the Judge Advocate General, also met senior Mizoram government officials led by Ashish Kundra, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the General Administration Department.
Kundra told the delegation that such interactions between the officials of the two neighbouring countries would lead to improved bilateral relations.
Kundra, who is also the Chief Electoral Officer of Mizoram, explained the process of holding elections in India and the operations of the Electronic Voting Machines and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail.
The officials from both sides also discussed border crimes, smuggling, unofficial trade in drugs and narcotics, human trafficking besides cultural exchange programmes.
The delegation on Tuesday and Wednesday also visited Mizoram University and other such important places in the northeastern state.
Mizoram has an unfenced international border of 404 km with Myanmar and 318 km with Bangladesh. While the Border Security Force guards the Bangladesh border, the border with Myanmar is secured by the Assam Rifles.
