Myanmar generals visit arms maker in Russia

reuters.com ^ | Dmitry Solovyov

[Tailgunner Joe]

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Myanmar military delegation visited Russia on Friday, a day after the Asian state's military junta was deplored by the United Nations for crushing pro-democracy protests.

Two leading Russian newspapers said the delegation was discussing buying missile systems from Russia, which has in the past sold fighter planes to Myanmar and has said it believes sanctions against the junta are premature.

A Russian Air Force spokesman said the delegation was headed by Lieutenant-General Myint Hlaing, commander of Myanmar's air defense forces. The spokesman declined to specify whether the visitors were buying arms.

Russia's Defense Ministry said on its Web site (www.mil.ru) the delegation would visit an air force academy and the Sokol design bureau in Kazan in the autonomous region of Tatarstan.

Sokol specializes in building drones -- remotely piloted planes -- according to the Russian military press.

The Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers said the southeast Asian nation was interested in buying BUK-M1 and TOR-M1 missile systems to modernize its air defenses.

Hlaing arrived on Thursday, just as the U.N. Security Council adopted a statement deploring Myanmar's crushing of pro-democracy protests.

The U.N. statement urged the junta, which has ruled for 45 years, to release all political prisoners and prepare for genuine dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

In 2001, Russia sold 10 MiG-29 fighters to Myanmar, which is also in talks with Moscow to build a nuclear research reactor in Myanmar.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month he regretted that civilians died in the crackdown on anti-government protesters in Myanmar, but said it was "premature" to talk about sanctions.

"Pragmatism in relations with the states violating human rights is turning into an element of economic rivalry between new big players -- China, India and Russia -- with Western firms which sometimes are forced to tear up lucrative contracts under pressure from public opinion," Vedomosti wrote.

[Tailgunner Joe]

"Are you a benevolent patriotic movement just trying to guide your beloved people along the glorious path to socialism? Are you under attack from the running dog capitalist uni-polar hegemon? Well come on down to Crazy Ivan's! We've got tanks, we've got jets, we've got anti-ballistic missile sytems! At Crazy Ivan's, we're slashing prices so low, we're practically giving this stuff away!"

[snarks_when_bored]

Those unarmed Buddhist monks blow up real good...

[ApplegateRanch]

Myanmar, which is also in talks with Moscow to build a nuclear research reactor in Myanmar.

I can imagine the "research"

Question 1: How long do we need to irradiate monks, so they glow in the dark, bright enough and long enough, to be a viable replacement for electric lights?

Question 2: Is this a cheaper method for providing light, than building & operating power plants?

Question 3: Will this have too much of a deterrent effect on protests, such that we prematurely run out of monks?

Question 4: Can we use the "research reactor" to parley a trade/food/energy deal comparable to DPRK's with the Western Powers?

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping.