On Friday 14 September 2007, Mr Andrew Selth (Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University) spoke on "Myanmar's Nuclear Programme". Professor Simon Chesterman (Global Professor and Director of the NUS New York University School of Law Singapore Programme) chaired the session. Organised by IISS-Asia, the event took place at Trademark Room, 9 Raffles Place, Level 18 Republic Plaza II.
Synopsis:
The announcement in 2000 that Myanmar planned to buy a small nuclear reactor from Russia set off alarm bells in the international community. There were fears that the military regime would be unable to manage such a complex and potentially dangerous technical facility, or safeguard its radioactive products. Some observers even suggested that this was the beginning of a clandestine nuclear weapons programme, a fear heightened by Myanmar’s renewed ties with North Korea. There is no evidence to support such claims, but exaggerated fears of external intervention by the US and its allies may encourage an isolated and fearful leadership in Myanmar eventually to consider such an option more seriously. Even before then, there is scope for misunderstandings that could lead to increased tensions in the region.
Mr Andrew Selth has studied international security issues and Asian affairs for 35 years as a professional diplomat, strategic intelligence analyst and academic. He has published five books and more than 70 refereed monographs and articles, most of them about Myanmar and related subjects. His latest major work is Burma’s Armed Forces: Power Without Glory (EastBridge, Norwalk, 2002). He is currently a Research Fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
