Myanmar developing nuclear weapon

Myanmar's army defector indicates that its military junta is trying to develop nuclear weapons and long-range missiles and there is hidden assistance from an Asian nuclear nation in such secret venture.

Norway based Democratic Voice of Burma [DVB] said, the defector had been involved in the nuclear program and smuggled out extensive files and photographs describing experiments with uranium and specialized equipment needed to build a nuclear reactor and develop enrichment capabilities. But the group concluded saying that Myanmar is still far from producing a nuclear weapon.

Meanwhile, US Senator Jim Webb postponed his trip to Myanmar because of this fresh allegations of developing nuclear weapon.

Webb, who also is the chairman of Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific affairs, referred to documents provided by a Myanmar army defector.

Myanmar government however has denied similar allegations in the past. The government, which is condemned worldwide for its gross violation of human rights, has no hostile neighbour. The junta's prime concern is suppressing dissidents at home and battling several small-scaled insurgencies. Last month, DVB indicated that Russian has trained Myanmar technicians in nuclear and missile technology. The group, which operates Oclo-based television and radio stations, said, defector Sai Thein Win was an army Major who was trained in Myanmar as a defense engineer and later in Russia as a missile expert. It said, he has access to secret Myanmar nuclear facilities, including a nuclear battalion in north part of Mandalay, which is charged with building up a nuclear weapons capability.

It said, the documents it obtained from the Myanmar army defector were examined by Robert Kelley, an American nuclear scientist and former director in the International Atomic Energy Agency, who concluded that Myanmar is probably mining uranium and exploring nuclear technology that is only useful for weapons.

It is also claimed that Myanmar is trying to develop missiles with a range of up to 3,000 kilometers [1,860 miles].

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