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News & Views from Myanmar Vol 1 No.
Subject: News & Views from Myanmar Vol 1 No.34
News & Views from Myanmar
Weekly Brief from MOFA, Yangon, Myanmar
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Vol.1 1 September 1999 No. 34
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INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Teachers' role in peaceful education
2. Tenth Meeting of ASEAN National Tourism Organizations held
in Yangon
3. Armed group members exchange arms for peace
FOREIGN RELATIONS
4 Special Envoy arrives back
5. US Senator Mr. Richard C. Shelby (R. Alabama) and party
visit Myanmar
6. Ambassador of Kuwait presents his credentials
7. Myanmar and Turkmenistan establish
diplomatic
relations
8. Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council
appoints Permanent
Representative to United Nations, Geneva and Ambassador
to Australia
GENERAL NEWS
9. 437 drug-related cases exposed in July
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Internal Developments
1. Teachers' role in peaceful education
Secretary 1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt.
Gen Khin
Nyunt gave speeches at the opening ceremony of the Special
Refresher Course
No. 37 for Basic Education Teachers, held at the Central
Institute of Civil
Service in Hlegu Township on 27 August, 1999 and also at the
opening occasion
of the Special Refresher Course No.3, held at the Central
Institute of Civil
Service in Pyin Oo Lwin Township on 28 August,1999.
In his opening address, Secretary 1 mentioned how
constructive endeavours
have been made by the Governments for all-round development of
the nation by
pointing out some of the most significant sectors. He said the
Government has
spent over K20,000 million in building 100 dams and reservoirs
since 1988,
so that these dams and reservoirs will help develop the
agricultural sector
by irrigating 1.5 million acres of land. Moreover, the
Government also spent
US$ 40 million, over 206 million yuan and over K 15,276
million in building
forty five bridges of different sizes. In the education sector
from 1988 to
1999, 4,514 new primary schools have been opened and 421
middle schools and
214 high schools have been upgraded. As for higher education, new
universities and colleges have been opened and upgraded;
altogether 24
universities and 14 colleges have been opened.
While the Government is trying its best for all-round
development of the
nation as well as for the achievement of national
reconsolidation on the one
hand some destructive elements are making an attempt to hamper
the progress
of the nation and to cause unrest and riots intending to
disrupt national
solidarity and peace on the other hand. He pointed out
movements of
destructive elements inside and outside the country as well as
their
destructive programmes.
It is necessary to nurture the youths to become good
citizens. Since
teachers play an important role in education, Secretary 1
emphatically urged
the teachers not only to teach the pupils lessons but also
inculcate
patriotism and union spirit while implementing the programmes
of peaceful
pursuit of education. All teachers need to keep the students
and youths from
being misled by unscrupulous elements by means of nurturing
them to have a
clear national outlook, patriotism and Union spirit which are
the genuine
strengths of the nation.
2. Tenth Meeting of ASEAN National Tourism Organizations held
in Yangon
The 10th ASEAN National Tourism Organization Meeting was
held at the
Traders Hotel on 25-26 August 1999. The Minister for Hotels and
Tourism and
the Ministers, the Deputy Ministers, Ambassadors of ASEAN
members countries,
Senior officials from Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia,
Brunei
Darussalum, Indonesia, Cambodia, the Phillipines, Myanmar,
Laos, officials of
the ASEAN Secretariat, departmental officials, tour operators
and guests
attended the meeting. On the occasion the Minister for Hotels
and Tourism
Maj.-Gen. Saw Lwin made an opening statement. He said when the
Ninth NTOs
meeting was held in Singapore in January 1999, there were
certain issues
which had been deliberated with general consensus. One of them
was to
promote the ASEAN region as a combined attractive tourist
destination. He
said he supported the idea because the countries have many
similarities in
terms of culture, history, environment and ethnic diversity. He
said the
region, with combined efforts, can promote tourism for further
development.
At the end of the Tenth Meeting, a Joint Press Statement
was issued in
which it said "an ASEAN Map has been published to promote the
primary tourism
destinations of the ASEAN member countries. This will be widely
distributed
within ASEAN and internationally, with the first release
planned for
Kangwon-do International Travel Exposition" in the Republic of
Korea next
month.
The Statement also says, "The ASEAN Communications Team for
Tourism
(ACTT) will continue to play an active role in disseminating
relevant
information on events affecting travel and tourism in the
region. The ACTT
will also plan and organize a communication training Workshop
for Member
Countries during ATF 2000.
As in other areas, Myanmar will actively take part in
promoting tourism
in cooperation with fellow members while paying attention to
the protection
of the environment for sustainable development, narcotics abuse
control,
combating AIDS and development of the border areas. As active
member of the
ASEAN, Myanmar looks forward to sharing the rich experiences of
fellow
members and promote the tourism industry markedly.
3. Armed group members exchange arms for peace
The government is striving for national reconsolidation and
implementing
the twelve political, economic and social objectives for
emergence of a
peaceful, modern and developed nation. After realizing genuine
goodwill and
endeavors of the government, members of remnant armed groups
abandoned their
destructive acts which do not benefit the nation and exchanged
arms for
peace.A total of 20 armed group members exchanged arms for
peace at military
camps in July 1999.
Pado Mehn Thein Hlaing, Pado Lin Kyi and Pado Kyaw Ei of
the No 7 Brigade
of the KNU armed group with two grenades and one walkie-talkie
and pvt Phone
Myint (a) Phone Kywe, pvt Pher Lay and pvt Nyo Nyo of the No2
Do Battalion of
the No 1 Brigade of the KNU armed group in the South-East
Command area, pvt
Saw Bo Wah of the KNU armed group with one .22 automatic rifle,
one magazine
and six rounds of ammunition in the Coastal Region Command
region, pvt Jack
Moo of the No 12 Battalion of the No 4 Brigade of the KNU armed
group in the
Southern Command area, section leader Aik Kywal, pvt Ya Kyan
and pvt Kya Pl
of the remant MTA armed group with one .30 carbine, two M-22s,
one M-22
pistol, six magazines and 104 rounds of ammunition in the
Triangle Region
Command area, deputy section leader Nandaw, pvts Aik San, Zaw
Ti Ka and Ya
Kyin of SURA armed group with three M-22s, three magazines and
136 rounds of
ammunition in the Eastern Command area, pvt Soe Thein of the No
701 ABSDF
Battalion of the Northern Command area, pvt Ma Maw Maw Lwin of
the No 702
ABSDF Battalion in North-East Command area, former member of
ABSDF U Khin
Maung Than in the North West Command area and Sgt Min Gyi of
the AA armed
group with one M-22, one magazine, 15 rounds of ammunition, one
grenade and
two detonators in the Western Command area were cordially
welcomed by the
officials of the respective military camps and were paid
attention to their
needs.
On 25 August 1999 morning, a 15-member group led by
Dawrawkhu township
commander U Dae Mu of Kayinni National Development Party
exchanged arms for
peace. A ceremony to exchange arms for peace of Dawrawkhu
township commander
U Dae Mu and members of KNDP was held at the City Hall of
Loikaw on 25
August. . Dawrawkhu township commander of KNDP U Dae Mu and
members arrived
at the City Hall in Loikaw where they were cordially welcomed
by tradional
cultural troupes and local people. They handed over their
arms and
ammunitions to Col Nyunt Hlaing. The list of arms were six
M-16s, 312
rounds of ammunnition, one AK-47, one RPJ launcher, 15
magazines, one shell,
one 22, and an intercommunications set. The officials
concerned presented
basket of honour , gifts and cash assistance to Dawrawkhu
township commander
U Dae Mu and party of KNDP. The officials concemed are
fulfilling the
livelihood and social needs and helping in reclaiming land for
agriculture
and livestock breeding farms in long term of those who
exchanged arms for
peace.
Foreign Relations
4 Special Envoy arrives back
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win who
visited
Morocco, Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Iran as the Special Envoy
of the
Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior
General Than Shwe
arrived back by air from Singapore on 31 August 1999.
The deputy minister and party were welcomed back at Yangon
International
Airport by Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung, Egyptian
Ambassador Dr.
Farouk Riad Hassan Mabrouk and officials of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
During the visit, the Special Envoy met with Foreign
Minister Mr.
Mohammed Bennaissa of Morocco, Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of
Agriculture and Land Reclamation Dr. Youssef Wally, Assistant
Foreign
Minister Mr. Nagui Ali Ghatrivy and Commercial Minister
Plenipotentiary Mr.
Mohamad Abdual Rahim Mohamad of Egypt, President and
Commander-in-Chief of
the Armed Forces General Olusegun Obasanjo and Minister of
State for Foreign
Affairs Mr. Dabem Onyia of Nigeria, President Dr. Negasso
Gidada and Deputy
Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Tekeda Alemu of Ethiopia,
Minister for
Foreign Affairs Dr. Kamal Kharriazi and Deputy Minister for
Foreign Affairs
Mr. Mohsen Aminzadeh of Iran and had friendly and cordial
exchange of views
on further promoting the bilateral relations and cooperation as
well as on
regional and international issues.
5. US Senator Mr. Richard C. Shelby (R. Alabama) and party
visit Myanmar
Secretary 1 of the State Peace and Development Council
Lt-Gen.Khin Nyunt
received US Senator Mr. Richard C. Shelby who called at his
offfice at the
Dagon Yeiktha of the Ministry of Defence at 11 am on 31 August
1999. Senator
Shelby and wife and party arrived Yangon by a special
aircraft in the
morning of 31 August . They were welcomed at the Yangon
International Airport
by Director- General U Nyunt Maung Shein of the Political
Department of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and officials, Charge'd Affaires
of the US
Embassy and staff .The Senator and party were hosted to dinner
by the
Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung and wife Daw San Yon at
the Karaweik
Palace restaurant. The Senator and party left by special
aircraft for
Mandalay on September 1 and they will proceed their
trip to
Vientiane on September 2.
6. Ambassador of Kuwait presents his credentials
The newly-accredited Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to
the Union of
Myanmar Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Al-Mijrin Al-Roomi presented his
credentials to
the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the
Union of
Myanmar at the Dagon Yeiktha of the Ministry of Defence on 25
August 1999.
7. Myanmar and Turkmenistan establish diplomatic relations
The Union of Myanmar and Turkmenistan have established
diplomatic
relations at Ambassador level on 26 August 1999. The Ministry
of Foreign
Affairs issued a Press Communiqui on the establishment of
diplomatic
relations between the two countries, which expressed as follows:
The Union of Myanmar and Turkmenistan, guided by the
principles
enunciated in the Charter of the United Nations and being
desirous to
establish relations of friendship and mutually beneficial
cooperation on the
basis of the principles of equality, non-interference in the
internal affairs
of the others, respect for independence and territorial
integrity, have
decide to establish diplomatic relations between the two
countries at
Ambassadorial level.
8. Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council
appoints Permanent
Representative to United Nations, Geneva and Ambassador
to Australia
The Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of
the Union of
Myanmar has appointed U Mya Than as the Permanent
Representative of the Union
of Myanmar to the United Nations, Geneva and U Aye, Permanent
Representative
of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations, Geneva, as
Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Commonwealth of
Australia.
General News
9. 437 drug-related cases exposed in July
The Tatmadaw, The Myanmar Police Force and the Customs
Department exposed 437
drug-related cases in July.
The authorities seized 76.079 kilos of opium in 37 cases,
14.6245 kilos
of heroin in 137 cases, 4.8034 kilos of opium oil in five
cases, 5.243 kilos
of marijuana in 62 cases, 17.21 liters of Phensidyl in five
cases, 3.4726
kilos of low-grade opium in 16 cases, 2,073,599 stimulant
tablets in 49
cases, 2,227.8994 kilos of ephedrine in 17 cases, 0.7753 kilos
of stimulant
medicine powder in one case, 210 rounds of methaqualine in one
case, 16.35
litres of cough syrup in five cases, 1,227.45 kilos of other
chemical powder,
145.472 litres of alcohol in one case, 21.0086 litres of other
chemical
liquid, 91 cases for failure to register and 10 other cases.
Action was taken against 577 persons -- 483 men and 94
women -- involved
in 437 cases. In 1998-99 opium cultivation season, a total ot
9,824.667 acres
or 3,978.99 hectares illicit poppy plantation -- 745.38 acres
in Shan State
(South), 160.8 acres in Shan State (East), 143.987 acres in
Kachin State and
15.5 acres in Mandalay Division -- have been destroyed in July
1999.
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