India and Burma are set to formalize an agreement next week for New Delhi to fund a Burmese port project that will allow India's landlocked northeastern states strategic access to the sea.
印度和缅甸将于下个星期正式达成一项交通运输协议。根据这个协议，新德里将为缅甸的一个港口项目提供资金，从而使印度处于内陆的东北部的一些邦获得战略入海口。
Burma's second-highest ranking military leader is due to arrive in the Indian capital next week. During his visit, Vice-Senior General Maung Aye is set to sign an agreement with the Indian government that will give the military government an additional $135 million in aid. Most of that money will be used to refurbish a port that will be for India's use.
缅甸第二号军事领导人貌埃副上将定于下个星期抵达印度首都新德里。在访问期间，貌埃将军将与印度政府签署一项给缅甸军政府提供额外的1亿3千5百万美元援助的协议。这笔钱的大部分将被用来整修一个为印度所用的港口。
The Sittwe Port expansion, upgrading of the Kaladan Waterway and a new 117-kilometer long road on the Indian side of the border, will give India's landlocked northeastern states vital access to the sea.
缅甸实兑港的扩修涉及改善加拉丹航道和在印度边境修建一条新的长达117公里的公路，这将给印度处于内陆地区的东北部邦提供关键的入海口。
India's government approved the deal Thursday following six rounds of talks over five years between India and Burma.
印度和缅甸在5年多的时间里进行了六轮谈判之后，印度政府星期四批准了这笔交易。
The project, to be supervised by India's Inland Waterways Authority, will provide greatly improved access to Mizoram and six other land-locked northeastern states, collectively known as the "Seven Sisters."
这个由印度内河航运局来监督的项目将大大改善通向米佐拉姆邦和其他六个地处内陆一起被称为“七姐妹”的东北部邦的通道。
But Debbie Stothardt, coordinator of the non-government Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma, cautions that the project may have unintended consequences for India.
但是非政府组织“另一东盟网络”的缅甸协调员斯托瑟德警告说，这个项目可能会给印度带来意想不到的后果。
"The Indian government must understand that by opening up this port and this highway directly into Mizoram they are not just hoping to get development," she said. "They may actually make it easier for people to flee Burma if there are human rights abuses or there are any big problems in Burma."
她说：“印度政府必须理解，通过把这个港口和这条高速公路直接通向米佐拉姆邦，他们并不只是希望得到开发。如果缅甸出现侵犯人权的问题或是其他的大问题，这个港口和公路实际上可能使人更容易逃离缅甸。”
There are believed to be tens of thousands of Burmese refugees living in India.
据信，有上万的缅甸难民生活在印度。
For New Delhi, however, the deal with Burma is seen as economically critical for development because of the difficulty for Indian trucks to get transit rights from Bangladesh to carry goods to India's northeast.
不过，对于印度来说，这个交易被看作是开发东北地区至关重要的经济手段，因为印度卡车很难从孟加拉获得把货物运送到印度东北部的过境权。
The Indo-Burmese project is expected to take five years to complete. General Aye is to arrive in India April 4 on a three-day visit.
预计这个印度-缅甸项目要耗费5年的时间才能完成。貌埃将军4月4号将抵达印度进行为期三天的访问。
India has faced international criticism for putting economic interests over human rights in its relationship with Burma. India contends dialog, not sanctions, are the best way to prod the military government into improving the political and human rights situation in the country.
India finds itself in increasing competition with China for diplomatic and economic influence in Burma, considered to be one of the world's poorest and most corrupt countries. |