Burma explained to Bangladesh its barbed-wire fencing well out of zero
point was being erected along a stretch of 40 miles of the border between the
two neighbors aiming at stopping trafficking in humans and smuggling.
The Myanmar ambassador in Dhaka, U Phae
Thann Oo, gave his government’s explanation to state minister for foreign
affairs, Hasan Mahmud, in Mahmud’s office.
The Myanmar diplomat told reporters
after the meeting his government had already started fencing the border stretch
the south to the north where the nearest distance of the fencing from no man’s
land is 50 yards and the farthest was 1,000 yards.
‘It is not a defense structure. It is
meant to prevent trafficking in humans and smuggling of narcotics. We have
verbally informed the minister and we will not give any written explanation,’
Thann Oo said.
On Monday, Bangladesh sought an
official version from Myanmar on the fencing as confusion was created after
Yangon had given varied versions on the location of the fencing.