The military regime in Burma is planning to build a nuclear research reactor and is in talks with Russia, according to Burmese deputy foreign minister Mr Khin Maung Win.
Khin Maung Win said the military junta had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its intention to construct the reactor which would be used "for peaceful purposes".
"The Myanmar government is striving to acquire modern technology in all fields, including maritime, aerospace, medical and nuclear," he said in a statement.
"It is in the light of these considerations that Myanmar made enquiries for the possibility of setting up a nuclear research reactor. A proposal has since been received from the Russian Federation".
Russia said last February that it planned to talk to Burma about building a nuclear reactor there for scientific purposes. Media reports have said hundreds of Burma scientists are in Russia receiving nuclear training.
Khin Maung Win said under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which Burma signed in 1992, it had the right to pursue "the peaceful use and application of nuclear technology".
However, the development is likely to raise concerns among Western governments who view military-run Burma as a pariah regime due to its poor human rights record and refusal to make democratic reforms.
There will also be questions over whether Burma, whose economy has been brought to its knees by heavy international sanctions, can afford such a facility.
AFP