Russian warship visit in Yangon and EU trade talks

Russian pacific fleet warship visits Yangon

The flagship Admiral Vinogradov of the Russian Pacific Fleet approached the port of Thilawa at Yangon yesterday. It is a 163-meter warship – an Udaloy-class destroyer with around 300 crew.

Allies of Myanmar have a history of docking in Yangon. Several Chinese navy ships spent time here over recent years.

But the timing of the Admiral Vinogradov is significant as military ties between the two countries seem to be growing closer since the new NLD-led government began its tenure.

In April Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu met Myanmar’s Defence Minister Lieutenant General Sein Win to discuss “further strengthening … bilateral contacts and cooperation in the military and military-technical areas”.

“The political contacts have become more active in recent years. The bilateral cooperation is developing dynamically, especially in the naval field,” Mr Shoigu was quoted as saying by the Russian government-owned TASS news agency.

President U Htin Kyaw is due to attend a two-day ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit in Sochi, Russia. It is only his second official state visit abroad.

The expansion of military ties with Russia is seen as a result of two factors: reducing dependency on China and the continued imposition of US and European military sanctions.

The pressure is now on west to change their restricting policies towards Myanmar or it probably forces Myanmar to continue keep close ties to their friends, China and Russia, also with business.

Cyclone Roanu hit Myanmar

Even cyclone didn't hit the southern part of Myanmar directly, the damage and flooding effect was felt all over the country. At some parts of the Yangon, water level rise meters on streets and it took long time water to drain out after raining was over. 

During last 12 months, Yangon city has build new drainage systems and it helps a lot on normal rainy season at some part of the downtown. However the water downfall at Cyclone area is is so much higher than normal storm that there is probably no easy way to stop flooding totally.

EU and bilateral trade negotiations

EU has since 2014 negotiated trade agreement. The negotiations has been dragged for years due the reason that European wants to have human rights issues tied on trade negotiations. While I dont see anything wrong with this, I feel it is a little two faced demanding Myanmar something that they happily ignore in neighboring countries like China. While EU keeps pressing these issues and nothing happens, most Asian countries and even USA are acting and building manufacturing and other industries to Myanmar. 

I feel strongly that people should be treated equally (Finland is one of the most equal country in the world) but I have also learned that in Asia best way to press these issues is to make business, get money to economy and eventually the quality of the life improves to most people.  

If you don't do anything but sit on table and negotiate, you let countries, that have questionable reputation to take over the business practices. That will  leave people even worse position than letting relatively responsible  European companies to compete and hire employees and help the country faster to get equality and democracy.

Chancing thinking and law will take long time and while nothing happens people keep suffering more. 

“The EU must ensure its investment agreement with Burma compels EU investors to implement their obligation to respect human rights. The Burmese people must benefit from foreign investment, not be harmed by it. The investment agreement is incomplete without meaningful measures to address the human rights situation in Myanmar.” said Debbie Stothard, ALTSEAN-Myanmar Coordinator and FIDH Secretary-General. 

IMHO, I don't think European companies will have problem with human rights abuses but some other countries will, who do human rights abuses themselves.  At current time, I don't think EU has muscle to pressure enough with political means when there are more than enough countries ready to do business, regardless what EU says, in Myanmar.

Well, if EU succeeds and can create a reliable system  to monitor all US, Chinese, EU and Russian factories  in country, good luck and good for us/them. Sometimes I think EU loves to make rules for them self and others, even so much it doesn't make any sense in real world anymore. We have first hand experience of this in Finland.

While EU negotiates US acts;

John Kerry Visits Myanmar

Video:

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday urged Myanmar's new civilian-led government to complete the Southeast Asian nation's transition to democracy by implementing further reforms to enshrine free markets, development and human rights.

Speaking with Myanmar's foreign minister and de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, after talks in the capital of Naypyidaw, Kerry pledged continuing U.S. support for the country and hailed progress it has made since Suu Kyi's political party took office in late March after winning historic elections that ended decades of military control.

"We strongly support the democratic transition that is taking place here," Kerry said.

His visit came less than a week after the Obama administration lifted sanctions against 10 state-run companies and banks in a sweeping modification of penalties imposed while Myanmar was under military rule. The administration, however, left in place restrictions on trade and investment with the nation's still-powerful military. The changes are intended to spur more U.S. investment and support economic growth under the new government, but also to encourage more reforms.

Ooredoo first to go 4G

The Qatari firm is the first mobile operator in Myanmar’s highly competitive telecoms market to offer 4G services, which the company says will offer faster internet speeds.

The operator aims to cover one-half of Yangon’s townships, all of Mandalay and about 90 percent of Nay Pyi Taw’s townships, Ooredoo CEO Rene Meza said at a launch event on May 20.

“This is the beginning of a journey,” he said. “We’re going to be expanding our network as we go along, and it will be driven fundamentally by spectrum.”

When I went to Myanmar at 2014 November, there was already talk about granting 4G licenses.  I also contacted few of my connections in telecom field but I didn't get much interest at that time. 

Well, naturally it is easier for those, who already operate in country to expand their network and investment but at that time the market was also open for newcomer to get in. Now it will be harder and harder as the old operators tend to protect their market share and operation with different means.