Wired News on June 6 & 7, 1995

[FreeBurma@xxxxxxx]

Attn: Burma Newsreaders
Re: Wired News on June 6 & 7, 1995
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Indonesia, Burma agree to boost economic ties

      JAKARTA, June 6 (Reuter) - Indonesia and Burma agreed on Tuesday to
boost economic and trade relations, with Rangoon asking Jakarta for help to
develop its natural gas resources, Indonesian State Secretary Murdiono said. 

    He told reporters after talks between visiting Burmese leader General
Than Shwe and President Suharto that the two countries had agreed on the need
for agreements on investment guarantees and double taxation. 

    ``Myanmar (Burma) asked Indonesia to develop natural gas because Myanmar
has natural gas resources. They need our help with exploration and
exploitation,'' he said. 

    Indonesia and Burma also agreed to increase air links and to examine
possible cooperation in the forestry, telecommuncation and fisheries fields,
he said. 

    He said Indonesia supported Burma's plan to join the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations. 

    Than Shwe, prime minister and head of the ruling State Law and Order
Restoration Council, will visit the state-owned Industri Pesawat Terbang
Nusantara aircraft factory in Bandung on Wednesday and Yogyakarta, Central
Java, before leaving for Singapore on Thursday. 

REUTER
Transmitted: 95-06-06 11:31:38 EDT
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Burmese leaders to visit Singapore

      SINGAPORE, June 7 (Reuter) - Burma's prime minister and other top
leaders will arrive in Singapore on Thursday to meet with senior government
officials, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday. 

    Senior General Than Shwe, chairman of the State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC) and prime minister of Burma, was expected to discuss
increasing trade and economic cooperation with the wealthy island state. 

    Than Shwe, whose trip ends on June 11, will be accompanied by Agriculture
Minister Lieutenant-General Myint Aung; National Planning and Economic
Development Minister Brigadier-General David Abel; Foreign Affairs Minister U
Ohn Gyaw and other senior officials. 

    He will meet President Ong Teng Cheong, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and
Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew, the ministry said. 

    Earlier this week, the Singapore Technologies Industrial Corporation said
it had signed a memorandum of understanding to build a S$500 million ($360
million) international airport in Mandalay. 

    The deal was the latest in a series of tie-ups between Burma and
Singapore businesses, fuelled by Burma's desire to develop a more
market-oriented economy and Singapore's aim of encouraging more local
companies to expand overseas. 

    The Burmese leaders will arrive from Indonesia, where earlier on
Wednesday they agreed with Jakarta to boost economic and trade relations,
with Rangoon asking Indonesia for help to develop its natural-gas resources,
according to Indonesian State Secretary Murdiono.


Transmitted: 95-06-07 11:56:12 EDT
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