油气资源:缅甸多边外交的新手段

Natural Gas Resources:Myanmar's New Tool for Multilateral Diplomacy

缅甸独立后的外交政策先后经历了冷战时期的中立主义外交,1989～1992年的对华友好外交,1993年后的多边外交。进入21世纪后,缅甸把油气资源作为其多边外交的新手段,对中国、印度、泰国等邻国,以及区域外的俄罗斯等国推行以油气资源为重要内容的多边外交,并利用各国相互制衡,以保持其内政外交的独立自主。缅甸的油气资源外交较大程度地维护了国家利益,增强了缅甸在国际政治舞台的博弈能力,并对相关国家的对缅政策产生了复杂的影响。2011年上台的民选政府势必会继续利用这一外交新手段在对外关系中追求平衡,完善多边外交。

Since its independence, Myanmar＇ s foreign diplomacy has been through a Cold War period of neutrality, a period of pro - China diplomacy from 1989 to 1992, and multilateral diplomacy following 1993. Entering the 21st cen- tury, Myanmar started to use its gas resources as a new means of advancing multi- lateral diplomacy, using gas to balancing China, India, Thailand and other neigh- boring countries as well as countries outside of the region like Russia. This has enabled it to maintain an independent foreign policy, and helped to a great extent in maintaining its national interests and strengthening its position vis -~t -vis in- ternational political struggles. It has also had complex effects on the Myanmar poli- cies of a number of states. The popularly elected government that took office in 2011 will inevitably continue to use this diplomatic tool to achieve a balance in its foreign relations and enhance its multilateral diplomacy.