News and Views from Myanmar Vol.1 N

[OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx]

Subject: News and Views from Myanmar Vol.1 No.26

News and Views from Myanmar
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Vol.1                                                    No.26
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	INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Development of Myanmar tourism industry
2. Pikauk Bridge on Yangon- Sittway Highway commissioned into service
	FOREIGN RELATIONS
3. Myanmar-Sino economic cooperation
4. Myanmar delegation attends 17th ASEAN Energy Ministers Meeting
	General News
5. Myanmar Women?s Day observed
6. Progress of Myanmar Cooperatives movement
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INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS

Development of Myanmar tourism industry

The Union of Myanmar is a country which always conserves the environment and 
preserves traditional culture. It is a place that has natural beauties like 
plateaus, hills, deltas and coasts according to geographical conditions. The 
country has many attractions for visitors such as old volcanoes, snow-capped 
mountains, flora and fauna and wildlife and it can attract tourists with good 
foundations of tourism industry such as natural beauty, cultural heritage, 
friendly tribal families, virgin destinations and internal accessibility.

Promoting the tourism industry contributes not only toward economic 
development of the nation but also toward strengthening of amity through 
hospitality. That is why the Government of Myanmar is encouraging the tourism 
industry as a business without harm to the prestige of the State and the 
people. The Government formed the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism in September 
1992 to promote the tourism industry with an added momentum. The year 1996 
was designated as ?Visit Myanmar Year? in order to attract tourists. The 
government and the private sectors are endeavoring in harmony for development 
of the tourism industry.

In Myanmar, where Theravada Buddhism flourishes, the Shwedagon Pagoda in one 
of the wonders of the world which always amazes tourists. Besides, experience 
of Myanmar scenery and flora and fauna can be gained on the trip along the 
Ayeyawady River between Mandalay and Bhamo. There are also tourist 
destinations such as Ngapali and Chaungtha sea beaches where natural scenery 
and beauty can be fully enjoyed. Moreover, Ywama Floating Market on Inlay 
Lake, which is held every five days, is one of the places where tourists can 
study the traditions of the locals in the Inlay region. Traditional dances 
and music, lacquer-wares and gold embroidery also attract tourists visiting 
Myanmar.

In accordance with the motto ?Tourism for Everyone?, the earnings are flowing 
into tourism-related businesses and organizations including the ministries 
concerned, hotels, restaurants, guides, transport services and souvenir 
shops. Although some foreign countries have negative views about the State 
and the people and those influenced by them are preventing tourists from 
coming to the country, the Myarnmar tourism industry should be promoted with 
the concerted efforts of travel agencies, hotels, airlines and transport 
services and the people, including guides.

Pikauk Bridge on Yangon-Sitlway Highway commissioned into service

An inauguration ceremony of Pikauk Bridge on the Yangon-Sittway Highway built 
by the Public Works of the Ministry of Construction was held there in 
Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State, on 5 July 1999. The bridge has a 10 feet 
and nine inches wide motor-way and a 75 feet wide and five feet high waterway 
clearance. The construction cost totalled K 131.7 million
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary-3 of the State Peace and Development 
Council Lt.-Gen Win Myint said the 360-foot-long Pikauk Bridge built with 
bailey type frames on reinforced concrete piers is the sixth bridge project 
completed on the Yangon-Sittway Highway. He spoke of the construction and 
completion of other bridges on the highway in Rakhine State, which has many 
rivers and creeks, the project to build the Yangon-Ann and Ann-Sittway 
sections of the highway, completion of six major bridges and 670 small 
bridges on the highway, Yaw Creek Bridge to be commissioned soon, and efforts 
for completion of other major and small bridges as scheduled.

In endeavoring for a smooth and secure transport, the governments has built 
new roads stretching 1,971 miles and 219 bridges of 60 foot in length and 
above since 1988. Of the river-bridge construction projects, five bridges 
across the Ayeyawady River, three across the Thanlwin River, and one across 
the Chindwin River were built simultaneously, and today, three across the 
Thanlwin River have been commissioned into service and the Bo Myat Tun Bridge 
near Nyaungdon is soon to be put into service.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Myanmar-Sino economic cooperation

There have been cordial and friendly relations between Myanmar and China 
since a long time, with frequent exchange of visits by the leaders of both 
nations. During the previous ten years, both sides have enhanced the 
relations in the economic field.

For that purpose, Myanmar formed the Leading Committee for Promotion of 
Economic Cooperation between the Union of Myanmar and the People?s Republic 
of China chaired by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council in 
1996.

A goodwill delegation of Myanmar visited China from 7 to 11 June to further 
enhance economic cooperation. During the visit, discussions on implementation 
of the existing programmes and extension projects were successfully held. 
When the report of the visit was presented to the Chairman of the State Peace 
and Development Council, he gave guidance to realize the plans. In this 
connection, the third coordination meeting of the Leading Committee for 
Promotion of Economic Cooperation between Myanmar and China was held at the 
Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) on 29 June and Secretary-1 Lt.-Gen. 
Khin Nyunt, Deputy Prime Minister Lt-Gen Tin Hla and the Ministers concerned 
discussed promotion of economic cooperation between the two countries.

Myanmar delegation attends 17th ASEAN Energy Ministers Meeting

A Myanmar delegation led by Minister for Energy Brig-Gen. Lun Thi attended 
the 17th ASEAN Energy Minister Meeting in Bankok from 29 June to 3 July.
The Myanmar delegation attended the ASEAN Energy Officials Meeting held at 
the Peninsula Hotel together with other delegations of ASEAN members from 29 
June to 2 July and the 17th ASEAN Energy Ministers Meeting at the same venue 
on 3 July. The meeting discussed multinational cooperation in the energy 
sector, ASEAN members overcoming of the economic decline that occurred all 
over the world, implementation of building a natural gas network in the ASEAN 
region, greater cooperation in the coal sector, and holding of the 18th ASEAN 
Energy Ministers Meeting in Hanoi.


GENERAL NEWS

Myanmar Women?s Day observed

Apart from the International Women?s Day (March 8), the Government of Myanmar 
has designated 3rd July as the Myanmar Women?s Day since the Myanmar National 
Committee for Women?s Affairs was established on that day in 1996 to 
implement the action plans laid down by the Beijing Women?s Conference in 
September 1995.

This year, the Myanmar Women?s Day was observed at the International Business 
Centre on Pyay Road with an address by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and 
Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt. The Myanmar Women?s Day is usually 
observed to honour the entire mass of Myanmar women who safeguard the lineage 
and cherish the culture, and Secretary-1 pointed out that throughout history 
women in the Myanmar community have their own honour and dignity and they had 
never ever experienced conditions such as having an inferiority complex for 
being women, being discarded or suppressed, and loss of rights.

A special activity for the Myanmar Women?s Day 1999 is tree-planting 
ceremonies held in various townships, districts states and divisions to 
emphasis the active participation of Myanmar women in greening the environs 
and conservation of the environment.

In Myanmar, the First Women?s Conference was successfully held in December 
1998 and laid down future tasks in education and training of poor women 
affected by illiteracy and health, in preventing violence against women, in 
vitalizing patriotism and educating them to uphold and cherish traditions and 
bringing about their development at the grass-roots level.

Progress of Myanmar Cooperatives movement

The International Day of Cooperatives was observed at the National Theatre in 
Yangon on 3 July 1999. The cooperatives in Myanmar have observed the 
International Day of Cooperatives as a mass movement since -1995 in cities of 
States and Divisions in cooperation with regional authorities and NGOs. 
In Myanmar, the cooperatives movement started in 1904. The Credit Cooperative 
Society formed in Myanmar in 1904 was the very first cooperative society in 
Myanmar. The 1904 Cooperative Act, the 1912 Cooperative Societies Act, the 
1927 Cooperative Societies Act and the 1956 Cooperative Societies Act were 
promulgated respectively and cooperatives were formed. When the State pursued 
socialism, the cooperative were assumed as the second pillar of the State 
economy and the 1970 Cooperative Societies Law was promulgated.

Since the State Law and Order Restoration Council took over the State?s 
responsibilities, the State economic system has been changed to 
market-oriented economic system. To form cooperatives in harmony with the 
market-oriented economic system the 1992 Cooperative Law was promulgated. 
Under the Law, new cooperatives were formed and the existing owns were 
reformed. So far, there are altogether 22,061 cooperative societies in the 
country. Today, cooperatives are making energetic efforts to stand on their 
own feet and to be relied by the people in accord with cooperative values.

The goal of the State today is to build a new peaceful, modern and developed 
nation. Hence, the agriculture related economic forces, the industry-related 
economic forces, the finance-related economic forces and the service-related 
economic forces are combined to accelerate the momentum. In doing so, 
cooperatives are also taking part actively.

As regards agriculture, altogether 9,410 agricultural producers cooperatives 
and the agricultural and general merchandise cooperatives have been formed. 
In the industrial sector, efforts are being exerted under the guidance of the 
Central Industrial Development Committee. As of today, 1,506 industrial 
cooperatives have been formed. I he Cottage Industries Department under the 
Ministry of Cooperatives is carrying out registration of small-scale 
industries and dissemination of technical know-how. Plans are under way for 
the industrial cooperative sector to produce 2,500 million kyats worth of 
goods in the year, 1999 2000. Regarding financial affairs, the Cooperative 
Bank, the Cooperative Promotion Bank and the Cooperative Farmers Bank have 
been set up as the backbone of cooperative societies. As regards 
participation in the international cooperative movement, the Central 
Cooperative Society has joined the ICA since 1993.

The Myanmar cooperatives movement is making concerted efforts to achieve 
success in today?s changing economic environment The Government is also 
rendering assistance to cooperative for their systematic development The 
cooperatives on their part are also discharging socio-economic duties 
collectively in line with cooperative principles, ethical values and 
cooperative values. They are promoting the interests of their members while 
contributing towards the national economic development, enhancing the 
cooperative values and flourishing the competitive edge in today?s changing 
world. 
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