US holds more secret talks with Myanmar’s military-backed rulers in Tokyo, sources say

The US and Myanmar’s military-backed government held talks in Tokyo last week, people familiar with the matter said, their second meeting in a month as Washington steps up re-engagement with the generals it shunned after their 2021 coup.

Earlier talks in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw, in mid-September focused on securing the release of an American businessman and shutting down scam centres that target Americans, but could pave the way for broader discussions, including on Myanmar’s rare-earth mineral deposits, Reuters previously reported.

It was not immediately clear exactly what the two sides discussed at last week’s talks, said three people with knowledge of the engagement. The people, including one US official, all requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the meeting.

US assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research Michael Vance again led the Tokyo talks, which involved more than a dozen US officials, one of the people said. Reuters could not establish who represented Myanmar.

The critical minerals and rare earths that Myanmar holds are viewed as probably the chief strategic assets that Washington is interested in within Myanmar

The state department did not respond to a request for comment on the latest talks but says it engages with all ⁠groups in Myanmar on issues affecting US interests. A spokesperson for Myanmar’s military-backed government did not ​respond to a request for comment.

Asked about its role in hosting the talks, Japan’s foreign ministry said in an emailed statement it had been “communicating as necessary” with both sides but declined to comment on specific diplomatic exchanges.

Last month’s meeting in Naypyidaw between Vance and Myanmar’s coup leader-turned-president, Min Aung Hlaing, provided an opening for broader discussions, people familiar with those talks previously said. The quick return to the negotiating table in Tokyo suggests both sides are keen to keep the dialogue going.

A major focus of the US push is securing Myanmar’s help in shutting down scam hubs that run romance and other frauds and have swindled Americans out of billions of dollars, the people said.

Researchers say many scam operations are based in areas controlled by army-backed militia, with some proceeds flowing to the military, raising doubts about whether Myanmar’s leaders are serious about enforcement. Myanmar’s military-backed government has said it is participating in a multinational effort to curb scam centres.

US officials have also discussed access to Myanmar’s large deposits of heavy rare earths, which are used in products ranging from electric vehicles to wind turbines.