Naypyitaw, Beijing Move to Cool Border Tensions

“decisive” measures if there was a repeat attack by Myanmar forces on its territory. Beijing also summoned the Myanmar ambassador to register a protest.

Naypyitaw has said the bomb may have been lobbed by rebels it is fighting in the Kokang region bordering China.

Myanmar expressed “deep sorrow” on Mar. 16 for the deaths of five people across the border in China’s Yunnan province that it has been blamed for, and said it was jointly investigating the incident with Beijing.

Media Bill Shelved

China said a bomb fell from a Myanmar aircraft on a sugarcane field in Yunnan on Mar. 13, killing four people and wounding nine. One of the injured later died.

On Mar. 14, a senior officer said China’s military would take

After languishing for more than a year, a bill aimed at overhauling government-run media services has been withdrawn from the Union Parliament at the request of the Ministry of Information.

Information Minister U Ye Htut told The Irrawaddy that the public service media bill was withdrawn without any objections from lawmakers on Mar. 18.

“The draft law has been withdrawn in order to be amended in accordance with the changing situation of the country and to consider the suggestions from media organizations and public received by the ministry,” he said.

According to the minister, the bill will also be reviewed with the television and broadcasting bill, which passed the upper house of parliament at the end of November but has yet to be enacted.

The public service media draft law will be reviewed with the help of experts from UNESCO and other media organizations. The ministry has not given any details over the length of the review period or when the revised bill will be tabled.

Zarni Mann

“We would like to express our deep sorrow for [the] death and injuries of Chinese nationals living in border areas as a consequence,” the government said in a statement published in the state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper. It added that the two countries’ foreign and defense ministries were in direct contact over an investigation into the incident. “[A] thorough investigation will also be made whether the Kokang insurgent group is involved in this incident to have a negative impact on the friendship between Myanmar and China and to create instability along the border area.” — Reuters

Peace Talks in Yangon