Burma in the Balance: The Geopolitics of Gas

Strategic Analysis, 2007

Åshild Kolås

Political Science

European Union

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Strategic Analysis

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Burma in the Balance The Geopolitics of Gas

Åshild Kolås

To cite this Article

 Kolås, Åshild(2007) 'Burma in the Balance: The Geopolitics of Gas', Strategic Analysis, 31: 4, 625 — 643

To link to this Article DOI

10.1080/09700160701559318

URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09700160701559318

Strategic Analysis

, Vol. 31, No. 4, July 2007

Burma in the Balance: The Geopolitics of Gas

Abstract

 A new great game is under way in Myanmar. The huge offshore gas findings stretching from the borders of Bangladesh down to Thailandhave resulted in a flurry of diplomatic manoeuvring with China, Thailandand other ASEAN countries as well as United States, India, the EuropeanUnion,AustraliaandRussiaallplayingkeyroles.Theequationsareboundto change and many countries, for fear of losing influence with Yangon,are seeking a more ‘pragmatic’ approach. As a result, the ruling regime,theStatePeaceandDevelopmentCouncil(SDPC),saturatedwithnatural gas, finds itself at the centre of unexpected attention and unaccustomedwooing. Whether it be the Sino-Indian economic contests and resourcecompetition in the Burmese gas sector or Thailand’s increasing interestand growing influence in Myanmar, together this presents importantleverage points for the SPDC, which has no doubt made it easier for theregime to withstand pressure for political reforms.

Introduction

The energy security concerns of Thailand, India and China greatlydetermine their relations with Myanmar. In principle, India and Chinahave pledged to cooperate in the field of energy security in order to avoidcostlyrivalries.Inpractice,however,commentatorsexpectthatthetwooil-importinggiantswillfinditmoreorlessimpossibletoavoidsuchrivalries.In relation to Myanmar, this seems difficult indeed. The immediate issueis competition between India and China over building a pipeline to trans-port natural gas from Shwe, a gas field off the coast of Myanmar’s Arakanstate. In March 2007, it became clear that China will further consolidate itsties with Myanmar by building a gas pipeline from the Burmese coast toKunming, the capital of China’s Yunnan province. India’s pipeline plans,negotiated for several years, were finally rejected by the Burmese regime.A South Korean offer to construct a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in

ISSN 0970-0161 print / ISSN 1754-0054 onlineDOI: 10.1080/09700160701559318

 Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

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