MYANMAR’S STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE 21ST CENTURY: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BANGLADESH

Authors

  • Air Commodore Md Anwarul Haque Sardar, ndc, fawc, psc NDC

Keywords:

MYANMAR’S STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES, BANGLADESH

Abstract

The Union of Myanmar is a least developed country under a military regime,
geographically located in the middle of rising economic powers and a vibrant
economic region, with abundance of energy resources within itself. Therefore,
considering peaceful rise of China and India in this 21st century, geo-strategically
Myanmar could be truly a gem. Thus, I offered the facts by reviewing its relationship
with specific countries in three layers, firstly with immediate neighbors, secondly
with next to neighbors and thirdly with big powers in the globe. Consequently, in
this framework of relationship, I have argued comprehensively how Myanmar’s
strategic objectives emerged as development networks with immediate neighbors,
engagement networks using the region’s connection with big powers in the
globe and the survival network with likely involvement of next to neighboring
countries. In this report, Myanmar is the center of gravity for arguments to infer
the emergence of those networks as strategic objectives, while implications are
shown for Bangladesh limited to respond only.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Books

Alam, Commodore Khurshed Mohammad, Bangladesh’s Maritime

Challenges in the 21st Century, Pathak Shamabesh, Dhaka 1000, 2004.

Brief History of the Myanmar Army, Defence Services Museum and

Historical Rsearch Institute, Rangoon, Myanmar, February, 1999.

Maung, Shwe Lu, BURMA Nationalism and Ideology, An Analysis of society,

culture and politices, The University Press Limited, Dhaka, 1989.

Morten B. Pedersen, Emily Rudland and R.J. May, BURMA-MYANMAR

Strong Regime Weak State?, Crawford House Publishing Pty Ltd,

Adelaide SA 5000, August 1999.

National Security-BANGLADESH 2008, Bangladesh Institute of

International and Strategic Studies, The University Press Limited,

Dhaka, 2009.

Thant Myint-U, The Making of Modern BURMA, Cambridge University

Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 2001.

E-Books, Articles, Publications, Documents, Briefs and Reports

Andrew Selth, “Burma and North Korea: Smoke or Fire?”, Policy

analysis paper in ASPI (Australia Strategic Policy Institute), 24 August

Andrew Selth, “Burma: A Strategic Perspective”, A working paper #

, published in Asia Foundation Working Paper Series. Australian

National University, May 2001.

Andrew Selth, “Burma and Nuclear Proliferation: Policies and perceptions,”

Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia, 2007.

“A.Q. Khan’s Nuclear World,” A book on collected reports on A Q

Khan.

A.Q. Khan Nuclear Chronology, Issue Brief, Carnegie Endowment For

International Peace, Volume VIII, No. 8, September 7, 2005

Allison, Graham, “Nuclear Disorder: Surveying Atomic Threat”, Journal

Article Vol. 89, Issue 1, Belfer Center for Science and International

Affairs, Havard University, January/February 2010

Aung Zaw, “ASEAN-Burma relations, Collection of articles in

Challenges to Democratization in Burma by IDEA”, Available at http://

www.idea.int/asia_pacific/burma/upload/exec_summary.pdf.

A Sourcebook on Allegations of Cooperation between Myanmar

(Burma) and North Korea on Nuclear Projects: Version of 2010-04-01,

Available at http://www.fas.org/man/eprint/burma.pdf.

Bechtol, Bruce, “Creating Instability in Dangerous Global Regions:

North Korean Proliferation and Support to Terrorism in the Middle East

and South Asia”, Marine Crops Command and Staff College, Virginia,

US, 2009.

Bertil Lintner, “Burma: Too Much to Hide”, The World Today, Vol. 62,

No. 7, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, July 2006.

Bertil Lintner, “Myanmar and North Korea Share a tunnel vision”,

a media news on 19 July 2006, Available at http://www.atimes.com/

atimes/Southeast_Asia/HG19Ae01.html.

Bergman, Oscar and Andreas Malarstedt, “Assessment of EU Policy

on Burma,” Policy Brief No 20, Institute for Security & Development

Policy, Stockholm - Nacka, 26 February, 2010.

Borchgrave, Arnand de, Thomas Sanderson, David Gordon, “The

Power of Outreach: Leveraging Expertise on Threats in Southeast Asia’

A report of the CSIS Transnational Threats Project, Washington DC,

April 2009.

Bosson, Andrew, “Displacement and Causes of Displacement in

Mandalay Division”, A collection of documents on forced relocation/

eviction and other coercive measures in Mandalay Division. Internal

Displacement Monitoring Centre, 26 April, 2007.

“Burma: Continued Arbitrary Sentencing”, Statement by the Press

Secretary on Burma, White House NEWS, 17 November 2008.

“China Brief”, A Journal of Analysis and Information, The Jamestown

Foundation, Vol. IX, Issue 15, July 2009, Washington, DC, USA.

“China’s Ambitions in Myanmar-India Steps up Countermoves,” IISS

Strategic Comments, Volume 6, Issue 6, July 2000, Myanmar, Available

at www.iiss.org/EasysiteWeb/getresource.axd?AssetID=418.

“Comparative Connections - A Quarterly E-Journal on East Asian

Bilateral Relations”, Vol. 2, No. 4, Fourth Quarter 2000, Honolulu,

Hawaii, January 2001.

“Current Realities and Future Directions in Burma/Myanmar:

Perspective from Asia”, A Book on collection of reports by Asia Society,

March 2010, Available at AsiaSociety.org/Burma Myanmar Report.

Charnysh, Volha, “India’s Nuclear Program”, Nuclear Age Peace

Foundation (NAPF), Santa Barbara, California, USA, 03 September,

China’s National Defence in 2008, Information Office of the State

Council of the People’s Republic of China, January 2009, Beijing,

China. Available at http://www.china.org.cn

Chongkittavorn, Kavi, “Thai-Burma Relations”, Available at www.

idea.int/asia_pacific/burma/upload/chap5.pdf

Cordesman, Anthony H, “Syrian Weapons of Mass Destruction: An

Overview”, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington

DC, 02 June, 2008.

Cortright, David, “Overcoming Nuclear Dangers”, A Policy Analysis

Brief, The Stanley Foundation, 209 Iowa Avenue, Muscatine, USA,

November 2007.

Crisis Group Asia Report No. 177, “China Myanmar Dilemma”,

Available at http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/north-east-asia/

china/177-chinas-myanmar-dilemma.aspx.

David Albright, Paul Brannan et el, Burma: A Nuclear Wannabe;

Suspicious Links to North Korea;High-Tech Procurements and

Enigmatic Facilities, ISIS Report published on 28 January, 2010,

Available at http://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/burma-a-nuclearwanabee-

suspicious-links-to-north-korea-high-tech-procureme/.

Edward Hunter Christie (Ed.), Joseph Francois, Waltraut Urban, Franz

Wirl, China’s Foreign Policy: Genesis, Deployment and selected effects,

FIW Research Report 2009/10 No 03, January, 2010.

Egreteau Renaud, “India and Burma/Myanmar Relations, from Idealism

to Realism”, Center de Sciences Humaines, New Delhi, India, 11

September 2003.

Fuhrmann, Matthew, Sarah F. Kreps, “Targeting Nuclear Programs

in War and Peace,” Belfer Centre Discussion Paper 2009-11, Havard

University, John F Kennedy School of Government, October 2009.

Gates, Secretary Robert, US Department of Defence, “Gates: Nuclear

Weapons and deterrence in the 21st Century”, Carnegie Endowment for

International Peace, Washington DC, 28 October, 2008.

Gregory L. Schulte, “Uncovering Syria’s Covert Reactor”, Carnegie

Endowment for International Peace, Polity Outlook, January 2010.

Gwillim Law, “Divisions of Myanmar,” Available at http://www.

statoids.com/umm.html.

Ho, Kyin, “Nuclear Claims Deserve Skepticism”, Available at, http://

newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archieve/Soc, 23 April, 2006.

“Innovating the Regime”, Carnegie International Nonproliferation

Conference, Federal News Service, Washington DC, April 6, 2009.

Khine, Thander, “Foreign Direct Investment Relations between

Myanmar and ASEAN,” IDE Discussion Paper No 149, Institute of

Developing Economics, JETRO, Japan, April 2008.

“Myanmar: 2004-2007”, Strategic Programme Framework, United

Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations Office at Vienna,

November, 2004.

“North Korea under Tightening Sanctions”, Asia Briefing No 101,

International Crisis Group, Brussels, Belgium, 15 March, 2010.

“North Korea’s Nuclear Test: The Fallout”, Policy Briefing No 56,

International Crisis Group, Brussels, Belgium, 13 November, 2006.

“Nuclear Crisis Points: Iran, North Korea, Syria and Pakistan,” Carnegie

Inernational Nonproliferation Conference, Federal News Service,

Washington, DC, April 6, 2009.

“Nuclear Posture Review Report(NPR-2010),” published on 06 April,

by Department of Defence, USA, Pp.3-4. Available at http://

merln.ndu.edu/index.cfm? secID= 151 & pageID= 3 & type= section.

“Pakistan and Israel”, Stimson-Pragmatic Steps for Global Security,

Washington DC, April, 2009.

“Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of China 2008,” Edited 2009

“Thailand in the 2000s,” International Relations, www.mfa.go.th/

multimedia/E_Book/b4.pdf

“The EC-Myanmar/Burma Strategy Paper (2007 – 2013)”, Available

at http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/asia/country-cooperation/

myanmar/myanmar_en.htm.

“The Iran Nuclear Issue: The View from Beijing”, Asia Briefing No

, International Crisis Group, Brussels, 17 February, 2010.

“Three Diseases Fund”, Programme documents agreed with government

of Myanmar, June 2006, Available at http://webarchive.nationalarchives.

gov.uk/+/http://www.dfid.gov.uk/ Documents/publications/threedisease-

fund.pdf.

“India Swaps Arms for Cooperation with Myanmar” Jane’s Defence

Weekly, 11 October 2006. Available at jdw.janes.com/docs/jdw/

asiapacific.shtml

“Indo-Myanmar Trade Below Target in 2006-07”, Economic Times

(India), 03 May, 2007, Available at http://economictimes.indiatimes.

com.

K. Yhome, “India-Myanmar Relations (1998-2008), a decade of

redefining bilateral ties”, A paper written in Observer Research

Foundation (ORF) # 10, New Delhi, January, 2009.

Kim, Chang-yeon, “Myanmar-South Korean Economic Cooperation:

Prospects and Strategies” US Korea Institute of SAIS, August, 2009.

Krepon, Michael, “Numerology in the Second Nuclear Age,” A

Proliferation Papers, Ifri Security Studies Center, France, 2009.

Kudo, Toshihiro, “China and Japan’s Economic Relations with

Myanmar: Strengthened vs Estranged”, Available at http://www.ide.

go.jp/English/Publish/Download/Brc/pdf/01_chinaandjapan.pdf

Kudo, Toshihiro, “Myanmar’s Economic Relations with China: Can

China Support the Myanmar Economy?”, Institute of Developing

Economics (IDE), JETRO, Wakaba, Chiba-shi, Chiba, JAPAN, July

Kurt M Chambell, “Purposes and Principles of US Engagement in

Burma,” Statement of the Assistant Secretary, Bureau of east Asian

and Pacific Affairs. Available at: http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/

rm/2010/05/141669.htm

Larry A. Niksch, “North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons development and

Diplomacy”, A publication in Congressional Research Service, 05

January, 2010.

Lewis M Stern et al, “Burma in Strategic Perspective: Renewing

Discussion of Options”, a publication in Strategic Forum of Institute

for National Strategic Studies in National Defense University, No 249,

October 2009.

Lintner, Bertil, “Burma and its Neighbours”, New Delhi, Radiant

Publishers, 1998.

Loo, Bernard F W, The Terrible Allure of Nuclear Weapons, Rajaratnam

School of International Studies (RSIS), Singapore, 2009.

Lu Yin, “Challenges of Non-Proliferation in Northeast Asia and Possible

Solutions”, Asia Paper Published by the institution for security and

development policy, Sweden , February 2010.

Mathea Falco, Chair, “Burma: Time for Change”, A Report of an

Independent Task Force Sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations,

New York, 2003.

Medcalf, Rory, “Wicked Weapons: North Asia’s Nuclear Tangle”, Lowy

Institution for International Policy, September 2009, Sydney, NSW,

Australia.

Mullrt, Harald, “The Future of Nuclear Weaapons in an interdependent

World,” Washington Quarterly, Spring 2008.

Nanto, Dick K, Mark E. Manyin, “China-North Korea Relations”, CRS

Report for the Congress, 22 January, 2010.

Niksch Larry A, “Burma-US Relations,” Congressional Research

Services, 04 October, 2007.

Norman Robespierre, “Nuclear bond for North Korea and Myanmar”,

an article in media on 04 October 2008. Available at http://www.atimes.

com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/JJ04Ae01.html

Park, Dr Sun-won, “A Proposal for a ‘Bosworth Process’ with North

Korea: Denuclearization and Beyond”, The Brookings Institution,

Washington DC, USA, October 2009.

Paul B. Stares and Joel S. Wit, “Preparing for Sudden Change in North

Korea” Special Report No. 42 by Council on Foreign Relations, New

York, NY 10065, 2009.

Phillips James, “Iran’s Nuclear Program: What is known and Unknown”,

No. 2393, The Heritage Foundation, Washinton DC, 26 March, 2010.

Pilat, Joseph F, “Nonproliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament, and

Extended Deterrence in the New Security Environment,” Volume VIII,

Issue 4, Centre for Contemporary Conflict at the Naval Postgraduation

School, Monterey, California, USA, September 2009.

Poon Kim Shee, “The Political Economy of China-Myanmar Relations:

Strategic and Economic Dimensions”, Available at http://www.ritsumei.

ac.jp/acd/cg/ir/college/bulletin/e-vol1/1-3shee.pdf.

Prosser, Andrew, “Nuclear Trafficking Routes: Dangerous Trends in

Southern Asia”, Centre for Defence Information, Washington DC, 22

November, 2004.

Przystup, James J. “North Korea:Challenges, Interests, and Policy”,

Strategic Forum No.250, Institute for National Strategic Studies,

National Defence University, Washington DC, USA, November 2009.

Rashid, Barrister Harun ur, “Maritime Security: Diplomatic Initiatives”,

Paper presented at the Seminar on Maritime Security of Bangladesh

Organised by Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic

Seminar (BIISS), Dhaka, 12 February, 2009.

Renaud Egreteau, “India’s Ambitions in Burma; More Frustration Than

Success?”, A French independent researcher in Paris.

Richard A. Bitzinger, “No.126, The China Syndrome: Chinese Military

Modernization and the Rearming of Southeast Asia”, S. Rajaratnam

School of International Studies, Singapore, 02 May, 2007.

Saifuddin, Shah Mohammed, “Myanmar: An Emerging Security

Threat”, The New Nation, Bangladesh Independent News Source, 21

March, 2009.

South Ashley, “Displacement and Dispossession: Forced Migration and

Land Rights in Burma”, The Centre on Housing Rights and Evistions

(COHRE), Geneva, Switzerland, 2007.

Squassoni, Sharon A, “Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Weapons and

Missiles: Status and Trends, 14 January 2005, Congressional Research Service,

The Library of Congress, CRS Report on Congress, Washington DC.

Squassoni, Sharon, “Nuclear Energy: Rebirth or Resuscitation?”,

Carnegie Endowment For International Peace, Washington DC, 2009.

Squassoni, Sharon, “The Realities for Nuclear Expansion”, Carnegie

Endowment For International Peace, Washington DC, 12 March, 2008.

Squassoni, Sharon, “Weapons of Mass destruction: Trade between

North Korea and Pakistan”, CRS Report for Congress, The Library of

Congress, 28 November, 2006.

Taylor, Robert, “The State and statism in Burma (Myanmar)”, London,

Winter 2009.

Trevor Wilson, “Foreign Policy as a Political Tool: Myanmar 2003-

”, Available at http://epress.anu.edu.au/ myanmar/pdf/ch05.pdf.

Tuli Sinha, China-Myanmar Energy Engagements Challenges

and Opportunities for India, Southeast Asia Research Programme

(SEARP)Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi developing

an alternative framework for peace and security in the region, IPCS

Issue Brief no 134, December, 2009.

Union of Myanmar: length of border with immediate neighboring

countries, Available at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld-

factbook/geos/bm.html.

Vibhanshu Shekhar, “A Federal Democratic Myanmar-India’s Strategic

Imperative”, An article published in IPCS ISSUE BRIEF, No 67, New

Delhi, May 2008.

Wit, Joel S, “Four Scenarios for a Nuclear North Korea”, Paper prepared

for the US-Korea Institute at School of Advanced International Studies

(SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC, February 2010.

Wook, Chung Chong, “The Korean Peninsula in China’s Grand

Strategy: China’s role in Dealing with North Korea’s Nuclear Quandary,

Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore, 8 March 2010.

Wyler, Liana Sun, “Burma and Transnational Crime”, Congressional

Research Service, 25 Ocotber, 2007.

Xuegang, Zhang, “Southeast Asia and Energy: Gateway to Stability,”

China Security, Volume 3 No 2, World Security Institute, Washington

DC - 20036, US, Spring 2007.

Xiaolin Guo, “Towards Resolution: China in the Myanmar Issue”,

Uppsala University, Sweden, 2007. Available at http://www.

silkroadstudies.org/new/docs/Silkroadpapers/2007/.

Yarger, Harry R, Strategic Theory for the 21st Century: The Little

Book on Big Strategy, February 2006, Available at http://www.

StrategicStudiesInstitute.army.mil/.

Websites

http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar/facts-about-myanmar.htm.

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/asia/country-cooperation/myanmar/

myanmar_en.htm.

http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/acd/cg/ir/college/bulletin/e-vol1/1-3shee.pdf4.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bm.html.

http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/ north-east-asia/china/177-chinasmyanmar-

dilemma.aspx.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma.

http://www.statoids.com/umm.html.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Peace_and_Development_Council.

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dfid.gov.uk/threedisease-

fund.pdf.

http://www.wikipedia.org.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Burma#List_of_Heads_of_

Government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Than_Shwe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khin_Nyunt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soe_Win.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thein_Sein.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakhine_State.

http://www.abitsu.org/?p=2859.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyotindra_Nath_Dixit.

http://www.biiss.org/elahi.pdf.

http://www.aseansec.org/64.htm.

http://www.idea.int/asia_pacific/burma/upload/exec_summary.pdf.

http://www.aseansec.org/20100.htm.

http://www.aseansec.org/24509.htm.

http://www.aseansec.org/24509.htm.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_revolution.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron_revolution.

http://www.aseansec.org/23222.

http://www.unscburma.org/Updates/2007/UNSCUpdate 12 January, 2007.

html.

http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rm/2010/05/141669.htm.

http://www.asean.org/22122.htm.

http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/myanmar/index_en.htm.

http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/myanmar/index_en.htm.

http://www.deltha.ec.europa.eu/Myanmar/MM2008/BurmaMyanmarSP

-2013EN.pdf

http://www.mizzima.com/news/world/3867-eu-renews-sanctions-againstburmese-

regime-.html,

http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/

http://www.aseminfoboard.org/page.phtml?code=About

http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/myanmar/index_en.htm,

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/HG19Ae01.html

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/JJ04Ae01.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oplan_5027 , http://isis-online.org/isis-reports/

detail/burma-a-nuclear-wanabee-suspicious-links-to-north-korea-high-techprocureme/

http://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/burma-a-nuclear-wanabeesuspicious-

links-to-north-korea-high-tech-procureme/

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20090930/BLOGS01/909309959,

http://www.the-diplomat.com/001f1281_r.aspx?artid=371

http://www.the-diplomat.com/001f1281_r.aspx?artid=371

http://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/burma-a-nuclear-wanabeesuspicious-

links-to-north-korea-high-tech-procureme/

http://merln.ndu.edu/index.cfm?secID=151&pageID=3&type=section

http://merln.ndu.edu/index.cfm?secID=108&pageID=3&type=section#nuclear

http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/NK/Nuclear/47_1273.html,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_foreign_exchange_

reserves,

http://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/burma-a-nuclear-wanabeesuspicious-

links-to-north-korea-high-tech-procureme/

http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/bangladesh/bangladesh_

transportation.html,

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/21362/

Published

2011-06-30

How to Cite

Air Commodore Md Anwarul Haque Sardar, ndc, fawc, psc. (2011). MYANMAR’S STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE 21ST CENTURY: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BANGLADESH. NDC E-JOURNAL, 10(1), 71-101. Retrieved from https://ndcjournal.ndc.gov.bd/ndcj/index.php/ndcj/article/view/76

Most read articles by the same author(s)