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News & Views from Myanmar Vol.1 No
Subject: News & Views from Myanmar Vol.1 No. 24
News & Views from Myanmar
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Vol.1 23 June 1999 No. 24
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Sr No. CONTENTS
INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. For development of industrial sector
FOREIGN RELATIONS
2. Secretary - 1s visit to South Africa
3. Senior Officials Meeting for the Second AMMTC
4. Myanmar dissociates itself from unfair and biased resolution
ECONOMIC NEWS
5. Innwa Bank Limited of MEC opens Mandalay Branch
6. Seminar on WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing and on
Notification Obligations and Procedures
7. Foreign business entrepreneurs meet UMFCCI officials
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INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
For development of industrial sector
Due to encouragement of the Government, region-wise industrial
zones have been emerging in the country. A lot of factories run
by the State enterprises and of local and foreign companies are
coming up. With a view to organising the scattered industries at
one place and facilitating their smooth running through fulfillment
of water supply, electricity and other needs, the government has
made arrangements for establishment of industrial zones. Since the
country adopted the market-oriented economic system, the government
has been making relentless efforts for enhancing development of the
industrial sector.
Chairman of the Central Committee for Industrial Development Vice-Chairman
of the State Peace and Development Council General Maung Aye, at
the coordination meeting of the committee held on 15 June, said
as the country is an agrarian one, it is impossible to transform
it into an industrialised nation overnight; therefore, in striving
for development of the industrial sector, the objective calling
for mechanised farming based on agriculture and establishment of
an industrialised nation is laid down and implemented.
It is necessary to extensively apply mechanised farming system,
establish new factories, boost production to full capacity and develop
industrial zones and the private industrial sector. Furthermore,
the Government and the private sector are to cooperate in striving
for development of the industrial sector together with the agriculture
sector in order that the nation will become economically strong.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Secretary - 1s visit to South Africa
On behalf of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council,
Secretary-1 Lt.-Gen. Khin Nyunt and delegation attended the inauguration
ceremony of the newly-elected President Thabo Mbeki of the Republic
of South Africa held on 16 June at the Union Building in Pretoria.
The ceremony was also attended by royal families, presidents,
vice-presidents,
prime ministers, governors, the Secretary General of the United
Nations, deputy prime ministers and ministers from 96 countries.
Myanmar and the Republic of South Africa established diplomatic
relations in 1995 and Myanmar established its Embassy in Pretoria
in 1996. Secretary-1 in his meeting with the Myanmar Embassy staff
urged them to make more efforts for promotion of commerce and trade
between the two countries. During his stay in South Africa, Secretary-1
visited the Diamond Supply Corporation, the Government Mint and
the Grintek Communications Factory in Johannesburg.
Moreover, Foreign Minister U Win Aung, a member of the Myanmar
delegation, explained Myanmars political, economic and social developments
in an interview with a reporter of the Pretoria News Service on 17 June.
The delegation stopped over in Singapore on 14 June and again on
19 June. On their way to South Africa, Secretary-1 and delegation
met Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Brig-Gen (Retired) Lee Sieng
Loong and exchanged views on regional and international issues and
discussed matters of common interest between the two countries.
During stop-over on the return journey, Secretary-1 met Singapore
Minister of Commerce and Industry Brig-Gen (Retired) Gorge Yeo and
cordially discussed bilateral economic cooperation.
Senior Officials Meeting for the Second AMMTC
The Senior Officials Meeting for the Second ASEAN Ministerial Meeting
on Transnational Crime hosted by Myanmar was held at the Traders
Hotels in Yangon on 21-22 June 1999. Chairman of the Leading Committee
for Organizing the Second ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational
Crime Minister for Home Affairs of Myanmar Col. Tin Hlaing in his
opening address on 21 June said that with the advent of globalization,
transnational crimes have been on the increase; trafficking in young
women and children has been witnessed; and as smuggling of persons
poses untold suffering to the peoples of the region, there is an
urgent need to put a halt to those crimes in the region and because
of the nature of the crimes which transcends borders, cooperation
among the ASEAN countries is an imperative undertaking. The Minister
also stressed that it is necessary to formulate and implement an
efficient network among the national organizations concerned through
the formation of appropriate interagency committees and task forces
in individual member countries.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued on 21 June a Press Release
on the Second ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime which
is preceded by the Senior Officials Meeting. The Second AMMTC is
a follow-up to the First Meeting of ASEAN Ministers of Interior/
Home Affairs held in Manila, the Philippines on 20 December 1997
where the ASEAN Declaration on Transnational Crime has been adopted.
As espoused in the Declaration, a high-level ad-hoc ASEAN Experts
Group Meeting on Transnational Crime convened in the Philippines
in November 1998, developed an ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational
Crime and refined the feasibility study on the establishment of
the ASEAN Centre on Transnational Crime (ACOT) for the consideration
of the Second AMMTC. The ACOT is envisioned to promote data resource
sharing, assist in the implementation of programme activities outlined
in the proposed action plan, and be repository of information on
national legislation, regulatory measures and jurisprudence of individual
member countries.
Myanmar dissociates itself from unfair and biased resolution
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar issued
a Press Release on 17 June 1999 in connection with the ILO Conference in
Geneva, Switzerland.
Following is the full text of the Press Release:-
Myanmar has been a member of the International Labour Organization
(ILO) since a few months after its independence in 1948 and had
ratified 19 ILO conventions. As a responsible member of ILO, Myanmar
has a long record of cooperation with the Organization with no major
issues related to labour standards between Myanmar and the ILO.
However, beginning from early 1990s, it has been observed that
some Western nations were attempting to use the ILO to further their
political aims in Myanmar. Subsequently, Myanmar was subjected to
political pressure by these governments and those harboring ill
will towards Myanmar with the aim of imposing their values and systems
without understanding or making any attempt to understand the actual
condition in the country. While paying lip service to workers rights,
they are making politically motivated allegations with the sole
intention of tarnishing the image of the Myanmar Government and people.
In a move to further apply political pressure and at the instigation
of Western nations, particularly Britain, a Commission of Inquiry
on so-called forced labour in Myanmar was formed in 1997 despite
the objections of the Myanmar Government of such a Commission. But
as a responsible member, Myanmar has cooperated with the ILO as
much as possible. The Report of the Commission and its recommendations
issued in July 1998 were one-sided, biased and based on unfounded
allegations made by dissidents and insurgent groups.
On its own accord and in view of the improved conditions in the
nation, the Government of the Union of Myanmar issued an order on
14 May 1999 directing the relevant authorities not to exercise the
powers under certain provisions of the Towns Act, 1907 and the Village
Act, 1907. The Order has been made public and circulated to all
State bodies, Ministries and all local administrative bodies. This
decisive legal action taken by the Government has already brought
those two laws in line with the Forced Labour Convention (Convention
29). Through this action, the Government of Myanmar has shown its
good faith and sincerity while essentially achieving the objectives
to the recommendations of the Inquiry Commission.
Deliberately turning a blind eye to these positive developments,
a number of Western nations had, at the current session of the International
Labour Conference, pushed through a resolution accusing Myanmar
of widespread use of forced labour. This is an action which is unprecedented
and is also not and conformity with the existing procedures of the
ILO. Furthermore, similar accusations were made on Myanmar regarding
the Convention on Freedom of Association.
In view of the unfairness of the exercise, its lack of balance
and objectivity as well as the underlying political motives, Myanmar
finds it impossible to accept such deplorable and unscrupulous action
on the part of those nations who want to interfere and meddle in
the internal affairs of Myanmar. Myanmar has therefore dissociated
herself from this unfair and biased resolution and henceforth will
cease participation in activities connected with Convention 29 and
Convention 87 until such time that Myanmar receives fair and equitable
treatment that must necessarily be accorded to all members of the
ILO. However, as a responsible member of the international community,
Myanmar will continue to comply with the Conventions to which she is a party.
It is most regrettable that such and august assembly like the ILO
should fall victim to the machinations and political tricks of Western
nations, particularly Britain. It demonstrates the complete disregard
of these countries to the rules and procedures of the international
organizations as well as the dignity of these international fora.
It is a move which has many dangerous implications for the small
and developing countries. It will also dissuade those nations that
have not yet signed the ILO core conventions from signing them,
much to the detriment of the ILO membership as a whole.
ECONOMIC NEWS
Innwa Bank Limited of MEC opens Mandalay Branch
With the aim of boosting industrial productivity on a commercial-scale,
realizing the healthy money circulation system for the benefit of
national races, ensuring safety for investments and property of
local and foreign companies and emergence of the central organization
ensuring rapid accumulation and circulation of money for global
investors and local and foreign bank branches, Innwa Bank Limited
of Myanmar Economic Corporation opened Mandalay Branch on 16 June 1999.
Myanmars economy is being strengthened with the cooperative endeavours
of the State and the national entrepreneurs who constitute the national
economic force. In so doing, the nation is building up the agro-based
economic forces, an organized force of national entrepreneurs, the
industrial economic forces, a gathering of the power of local and
foreign investments and 18 industrial zones which were set up region-wise,
the financial economic forces, which will invigorate the nations
budget and monetary might, and the services economic forces, which
will give enforcement to the service sector, are being developed.
Endeavours are being made on all fronts for emergence of industrial
forces form the State, cooperative and the private sectors.
Innwa Bank will serve as the strong financial circulating centre
for industrial zones, industries of the cooperative and private
sectors, export enterprises and farming industries in ensuring safety
of the monetary system for the people. Innwa Bank has opened branches
in Yangon, Taunggyi, Mongshu and Mandalay and will open more branches
in Kachin State, Shan State North and South, Taninthayi Division
and Sagaing Division. In addition to the banks local financial
services, it will also extend its functions as the correspondent
bank of international banks with strong financial power.
MEC is striving to accumulate large amounts of capital in endeavouring
for progress of mechanised farming and industries for the emergence
of a modern and developed nation.
Seminar on WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing and on Notification
Obligations and Procedures
The Seminar on the WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing and on
Notification Obligations and Procedures was held at the Ministry
of Commerce on Strand Road on 16 June 1999. The Seminar was organized
by the Ministry of Commerce with the collaboration of the Textiles
Division of the World Trade Organization -- WTO.
Myanmar was one of the 23 countries when the GATT agreement was
signed in November 1947. The GATT which was the predecessor organization
of the World Trade Organization, remained for nearly 48 years monitoring
activities towards trade liberalization. When the WTO was established
in January 1995, as the successor to the GATT, Myanmar was among
the first group of countries which signed the WTO Agreement. Since
the establishment of GATT and now the WTO, the global volume of
trade has increased 16 times in half a century. Myanmar also participated
in the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Multilateral Trading
System held in Geneva in May 1998.
Foreign business entrepreneurs meet UMFCCI officials
A 15-member economic mission of Fengtai District in Beijing, Peoples
Republic of China, met Vice-Chairman of the Union of Myanmar Federation
of Chambers of Commerce and Industry U Htain Win and Secretary U
Zaw Min Win at UMFCCI Office in Yangon on 21 June. They discussed
matters on bilateral trade, cooperation and investment.
Likewise, Trade Commissioner Mr. Mohd Ehazali Idris of Malaysia
External Trade Development Cooperation and Trade Promoting Manager
and Secretary of UMFCCI U Zaw Min Win and EC members had discussions
on Malaysia Myanmar Business Seminar to be held in Yangon on 26 July 1999.
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