Bangladesh And Burma Send Warships Into Bay Of Bengal -- The GuardianTensions escalate over gas resources lying beneath the bay's sea floor
Bangladesh and Burma, two of the world's poorest nations, have sent warships into the Bay of Bengal amid escalating tensions over a vast disputed gas find.
Bangladesh said today it had sent a British-made frigate, the BNS Kopothakka, to join three other warships some 30 miles south of Saint Martin Island, a palm fringed smudge of sand. The Burmese authorities estimate that 14 trillion cubic feet of gas lies beneath the sea floor.
The military-backed government in Dhaka, which is preparing to transfer power through elections, has said it will take "all possible measures" to protect its nation's assets. The country is also sending its top foreign civil servant to meet with the military junta in Burma.
The row was sparked by the appearance of a Burmese exploration ship escorted by a flotilla of naval boats that skirted the edge of the island last week.
Bangladesh insists the disputed waters fall within its territory and has demanded the Burmese ships withdraw until a maritime boundary can be established through talks.
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More News On The Burma - Bangladesh Dispute
Bangladesh-Burma (Myanmar) maritime boundary dispute escalates -- Christian Science Monitor
Bangladesh, Burma Dispute Oil Exploration in Bay of Bengal -- Voice Of America
Bangladesh sends team to Myanmar over sea dispute -- International Herald Tribune
Bangladesh deploys another warship in Myanmar gas row -- AFP
Bangladesh and Burma in oil row -- BBC News
Bangladesh, Myanmar tensions escalate -- Press TV