Burma said that it has abandoned research in its nuclear program and has canceled military cooperation with North Korea that took place under the previous government, according to reports.
“In this new government, we have already given up all activities of nuclear issues. We have no future plans to extend on this,” Lt. Gen. Hla Min, the Burmese defense minister, said at a conference on Saturday in Singapore, according to AFP.
Min said that the media exaggerated Burma’s nuclear program.
“We have already said very clearly it was not for defense, it was not for weapons, it was just research in the past,” Min said at the conference, Reuters reported.
Min continued, “It’s just research in the past. We have not progressed much due to our constraints,” according to AFP.
The long-ruling junta in Burma (also known as Mayanmar) ceded power to a civilian government last year. Several years ago, reports emerged that the military dictatorship obtained technology for enriching uranium from North Korea.
Min said that Burma has weakened ties between the two countries, responding to calls from international organizations to end military ties.
“According to our foreign policy, we have friendly relations with all countries so it is just a regular relationship,” the minister said.
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