India asks Myanmar to speed up process of political reforms

India has asked Myanmar to speed up the process of political reforms and national reconciliation, amidst growing international pressure on New Delhi to nudge Yangon to end suppression of pro-democracy activists in that country.
During his meeting with visiting Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win here on Wednesday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stressed "the need for greater urgency in bringing about political reforms and national reconciliation in Myanmar", said the spokesman of Indian External Affairs Ministry.
This process, he added, "has to be broad-based to include all sections of society including Aung Saan Suu Kyi, and the various ethnic groups in Myanmar."
Myanmar Foreign Minister also met his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee and conveyed to him the recent initiatives taken by the government in Myanmar on political reform and national reconciliation process.
Mukherjee reiterated India's support to the efforts by UN Special Envoy for Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari towards ushering democracy in that country.
India has not been favouring stringent sanctions against Myanmar as advocated by European Union or the United States in the wake of the military junta cracking down on pro-democracy movement in that country and its brutal suppression on protests by Buddhist monks and students in September last year.
Indian prime minister expressed satisfaction over growing relations between India and Myanmar.
During the meeting between Nyan Win and Mukherjee, trade and cooperation in energy sector came up for discussion. The trade between the two countries stood at present at one billion dollars.