Dhaka talks Bay dispute as Yangon, Daewoo hold back
Friday, 7 November 2008
FE Report
A Bangladesh delegation held talks with the Myanmar authority Thursday hours after suspension of gas exploration work in the disputed waters of the Bay of Bengal by Myanmar, officials said.
The Daewoo company has also communicated to the foreign ministry stating that the Daewoo-Myanmar Company has started the process of withdrawal of its installations placed in the disputed waters of the Bay of Bengal.
"The three-member Bangladesh delegation led by foreign secretary Md Touhid Hossain discussed related issues to resolve the current dispute over demarcation of the maritime boundary between these two countries," a senior foreign ministry official said.
The official, however, could not tell about the outcome of the meeting.
The Bangladesh delegation left Dhaka for Yangon early Wednesday with hopes for resolving the dispute through talks.
"We'll urge Myanmar to stop oil and gas exploration in the disputed offshore blocks in the Bay of Bengal until the dispute is resolved," Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain had told the FE Tuesday, just hours before leaving Dhaka for the discussion..
He said Bangladesh wants a fruitful solution to the dispute through discussion.
The Bangladesh delegation is set to return home Friday (today).
However, a foreign ministry official told the FE Thursday, "Myanmar is pulling out of disputed Bay waters, but Bangladesh remains ready for any eventuality."
Myanmar Wednesday suspended exploration work in the disputed offshore gas blocks following Bangladesh's diplomatic engagements with South Korea and China on the issue.
The South Korean oil and gas exploration company Daewoo, which was engaged in exploring in the disputed blocks, suspended its activities in the wake of mounting security problems.
Daewoo, which comprises a South Korea consortium and has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh's energy ministry, might stop exploring in the blocks until settlement of the dispute, said a senior energy ministry official.
Myanmar authorities also awarded the exploration contract in the disputed waters, some 60 nautical miles off the Saint Martin's Island, to the South Korean company Daewoo.
Bangladesh also pulled back a warship from the Bay to ease the tension further.
Myanmar last week initiated oil and gas explorations in the disputed offshore gas blocks, some 60 nautical miles off Bangladesh's Saint Martin's Island.
Mynamar ambassador in Bangladesh U Phae Thann Oo was summoned twice to the foreign ministry office in the wake of the tension and Bangladesh's position was conveyed to him.
The Myanmar authority also summoned Bangladesh's ambassador to Myanmar last week in retaliation.
Bangladesh also talked with China and South Korea in the wake of the tension.
"I have had talks with the South Korean ambassador who assured me that Daewoo company is well aware about Bangladesh's position on the issue and taking appropriate steps," Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told bdnews24.com at his office Thursday. He said Bangladesh naval ships would be patrolling the waters.
Bangladesh also briefed Beijing about the situation as China has huge influence over Myanmar, a reclusive country run by the military junta since early 1960s.
UNB adds: The Foreign Ministry received a letter from the Daewoo Company stating that the dismantling process had begun, which might take a few days to complete.
Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury stated this based on an information received from government sources of the Republic of Korea.
A Bangladesh delegation held talks with the Myanmar authority Thursday hours after suspension of gas exploration work in the disputed waters of the Bay of Bengal by Myanmar, officials said.
The Daewoo company has also communicated to the foreign ministry stating that the Daewoo-Myanmar Company has started the process of withdrawal of its installations placed in the disputed waters of the Bay of Bengal.
"The three-member Bangladesh delegation led by foreign secretary Md Touhid Hossain discussed related issues to resolve the current dispute over demarcation of the maritime boundary between these two countries," a senior foreign ministry official said.
The official, however, could not tell about the outcome of the meeting.
The Bangladesh delegation left Dhaka for Yangon early Wednesday with hopes for resolving the dispute through talks.
"We'll urge Myanmar to stop oil and gas exploration in the disputed offshore blocks in the Bay of Bengal until the dispute is resolved," Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain had told the FE Tuesday, just hours before leaving Dhaka for the discussion..
He said Bangladesh wants a fruitful solution to the dispute through discussion.
The Bangladesh delegation is set to return home Friday (today).
However, a foreign ministry official told the FE Thursday, "Myanmar is pulling out of disputed Bay waters, but Bangladesh remains ready for any eventuality."
Myanmar Wednesday suspended exploration work in the disputed offshore gas blocks following Bangladesh's diplomatic engagements with South Korea and China on the issue.
The South Korean oil and gas exploration company Daewoo, which was engaged in exploring in the disputed blocks, suspended its activities in the wake of mounting security problems.
Daewoo, which comprises a South Korea consortium and has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh's energy ministry, might stop exploring in the blocks until settlement of the dispute, said a senior energy ministry official.
Myanmar authorities also awarded the exploration contract in the disputed waters, some 60 nautical miles off the Saint Martin's Island, to the South Korean company Daewoo.
Bangladesh also pulled back a warship from the Bay to ease the tension further.
Myanmar last week initiated oil and gas explorations in the disputed offshore gas blocks, some 60 nautical miles off Bangladesh's Saint Martin's Island.
Mynamar ambassador in Bangladesh U Phae Thann Oo was summoned twice to the foreign ministry office in the wake of the tension and Bangladesh's position was conveyed to him.
The Myanmar authority also summoned Bangladesh's ambassador to Myanmar last week in retaliation.
Bangladesh also talked with China and South Korea in the wake of the tension.
"I have had talks with the South Korean ambassador who assured me that Daewoo company is well aware about Bangladesh's position on the issue and taking appropriate steps," Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told bdnews24.com at his office Thursday. He said Bangladesh naval ships would be patrolling the waters.
Bangladesh also briefed Beijing about the situation as China has huge influence over Myanmar, a reclusive country run by the military junta since early 1960s.
UNB adds: The Foreign Ministry received a letter from the Daewoo Company stating that the dismantling process had begun, which might take a few days to complete.
Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury stated this based on an information received from government sources of the Republic of Korea.