NEWS - Myanmar, Russia Agree on Cu

[Rangoonp@xxxxxxx]

Subject: NEWS -  Myanmar, Russia Agree on Cultural Cooperation

Myanmar, Russia Agree on Cultural Cooperation

               Xinhua
               17-MAY-99

               YANGON (May 18) XINHUA - Myanmar and Russia reached
               here Monday an agreement on cultural cooperation and a
               protocol on consultations between the two countries'
foreign
               ministries, official The New Light of Myanmar newspaper
               reported Tuesday. 

               On behalf of the Myanmar government, Deputy Minister of
               National Planning and Economic Development
               Brigadier-General Zaw Tun and Deputy Minister of Foreign
               Affairs U Khin Maung Win respectively signed the two
               documents with Russian Ambassador Gleb A Ivashentsov. 

               In February 1996, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister
               Alexander N Panov visited Yangon and since then,
bilateral
               relations between the two countries have been
strengthened
               through exchange of visits at the ministerial level. 

               Myanmar and the Russian Federation (which was then part
               of the Soviet Union) established diplomatic relations in
               February 1948, one month after Myanmar regained
               independence. 

               On the 50th anniversary of the ties in February 1998, the
two
               countries' foreign ministers voiced commitment to
promotion
               and consolidation of bilateral ties.