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Information Sheet No.B-1109 (I)



                   MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE
                                        YANGON

Information  Sheet No.B-1109 (I)               15th October, 1999

(1) Secretary-1 Receives Health Ministers and  WHO Director

    On behalf of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of 
the Union of Myanmar Senior General Than Shwe, Secretary-1 of the State Peace 
and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt received Health Ministers and 
Regional Director of WHO South East Asia Region who were in Yangon for the 
17th Meeting of Health Ministers of South-East Asia Region of WHO at Dagon 
Yeiktha of the Ministry of Defence on 14 October.
                                
(2) UN Assistant Secretary-General Arrives
    
    Assistant Secretary-General of United Nations Mr. Alvaro de Soto arrived 
Yangon by air on 14 October. Mr. Alvaro de Soto called on Minister for 
Foreign Affairs U Win Aung at his office on the same day.

(3) 17th Meeting of Health Ministers of Countries of WHO South-East Asia 
Region Concludes

    The 17th Meeting of Ministers of Health of Countries of South-East Asia 
Region continued for the second and final day at the Traders Hotel on 14 
October. Minister for Health chaired the meeting and made a speech. Then, the 
ministers and advisers held discussions and approved the draft presented by 
the drafting group. The recommendations made at the meeting are to be carried 
out by the countries of South-East Asia Region in a year to come. Priority is 
to be given to the recommendations related to the headings such as roll back 
malaria, stop TB initiative, tobacco free initiative and the use of 
traditional medicine in health care system. Subjects related to health sector 
reform, healthy environment, alcohol control programme and health promotion 
were chosen to be discussed at the 18th Meeting of Ministers of Health. Then, 
the meeting discussed the matters to be presented at the 53rd Conference of 
WHO and approved the holding of the 18th Meeting of Ministers of Health in 
Katmandu, Nepal, in Year 2000. The meeting concluded at 12:15 pm. 

(4) Myanmar's Religious Teachings Can Significantly Prevent Spread of AIDS

    The Press conference on the 17th Meeting of Health Minister's  WHO 
South-East Asia  Region was held at Traders Hotel, Yangon on 14 October.  
Speaking on  the occasion, Minister for Health said  Myanmar was able to host 
the 17th  Meeting of Health Minister's  WHO South-East Asia Region 
successfully. Health care activities are being conducted with the leadership 
of the Office of WHO South-East Asia Region and future tasks have been laid 
down.  Health Ministers, Deputy Minister Dr. Mya Oo and Dr. Uton Muchtar  
Rafei replied to queries raised by the journalists. They
said safe sex which is important in preventing AIDS and ensuring safe blood  
transfusion will control 80 to  90 per cent of AIDS.  There is not so much 
spread of AIDS due to the arrival of a large number of tourists. If the 
government of Myanmar continues its anti-AIDS efforts the country will  not 
reach the explosive stage of HIV. Extensive imparting of sex education is 
important in controlling AIDS.
    Deputy Minister for Health Dr. Mya Oo explained about Myanmar's religious 
teachings. He said the concept is ''No sex before marriage''. This concept 
alone can significantly prevent the spread of AIDS. Efforts are being made in 
giving health education to the youths,  especially school children. Myanmar's 
approach is to  impart sex education in accord with the cultural values and 
traditions. Another important thing is transmission (HIV transmission). So 
the nation has opened sexual transmitted disease clinics all over the 
country. There is also a counselling  centre in every 
township to prevent transmission of sexual diseases. Health education is 
being conducted  from the media in accord  with Myanmar traditions. In 
Myanmar, blood transfusion is conducted only after tests to ensure that the 
blood  is totally clear from HIV. AIDS education programmes are important in 
educating the people. Emphasis is being given by the respective governments 
in controlling AIDS. Regional cooperation is required in preventing the 
spread of AIDS.  The disease cannot  be controlled by  a single  country, but 
should be combatted by all the nations in preventing the spread of AIDS. Not 
only the regions but also the entire world should cooperate in this 
programme. 

    Replying to a question on the Western media reports and what they 
actually saw in Myanmar, the Minister for Health of Bhutan said it  was his 
third visit to Myanmar. He said  each time he saw a lot of  progress and one 
could see the prosperity and various infrastructural developments taking 
place in the country, that he had  been outside Yangon and each time he went  
round the health centres and also in the open  areas where he noticed that 
the  people were very happy and content. He said the reaction to people  like 
 him was warm, friendly and courteous, and  he thought that was so typical of 
Myanmar. He added he was not competent enough to comment on the Western  
media reports but he could  only tell his own  experience. There was peace 
and tranquillity in the country,  that the country was heading for economic 
progress because Myanmar is rich in  natural resources and human resources 
and it has not much  population pressure. If all these could be  combined one 
could expect good results coming  from it. He said another aspect for 
progress is good governance and that he noticed the governance in the country 
was very effective. 

    Giving his impressions about Myanmar, the Minister for Health of Sri 
Lanka said that for national progress one would feel to open up more  and 
more to the world whereas  it was  not always so. He reminded  that sometimes 
 if one opened up more and more one would get all the  evil things in the 
world which would come to one's  society. The peace, satisfaction of the 
people, their nature, their humbleness,  their entire family life and other 
areas had to be taken into considerations  instead of taking the Western 
standards such as per  capita  income. He said he felt humble people he saw 
in Myanmar were happier than those from many  developed countries because 
they had more high potentials in life, very high aspirations in life. 

    The Nepalese Minister for Health said he had heard  so many things about  
Myanmar. He went to Bagan the previous day and  he  saw  the people were very 
hospitable, the country is very  fertile, the  green country, the  country 
has resources and the minerals, and there is  peace and tranquillity. He  
said because he had  heard so many things  outside, but in  the country  he 
found it different. There is the birth place of Buddha in Nepal but there are 
not  many pagodas. But he saw a lot of pagodas in Myanmar and it was 
something to be proud of. 

    Myanmar Minister for Health thanked the journalists and the Press 
conference ended.

(5) Minister Meets National Race Leader of Kachin State Special  Region  2

    Minister for Industry-1 met national race leader U Tu Jaing and party of 
Kachin State Special Region 2 who called at his  office on 14 October. They 
reported on project of a cement plant which will be constructed in Kachin 
State for regional development. The minister fulfilled their requirements.

(6) Mayor arrives back from Sixth Asia Kyusu Regional Exchange Summit

    Chairman of Yangon City development Committee Mayor of Yangon  arrived 
back here by air from the People's Republic of China after attending the 
Sixth Asia Kyusu Regional Exchange Summit in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, from 
8 to 11 October. The summit was attended by 200 representatives including 
mayors and governors of 10 ASEAN nations, Japan and Korea. The opening 
ceremony was held on 9 October with the attendance of Deputy Prime Minister 
of the People's Republic of China Mr Li Lanqing together with the mayors and 
governors. Those present then took part in discussions about economic 
development and environmental conservation of their cities. The Seventh Asia 
Kyusu Regional Exchange Summit will be held in Oita Prefecture, Japan.

(7) Ambassador U Tin Winn Accredited to Argentina

    The Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of 
Myanmar has appointed U Tin Winn, Ambassador Extraordinary and 
Plenipotentiary of the Union of Myanmar to the United States of America, 
concurrently as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Union of 
Myanmar to the Republic of Argentina.

(8) Myanmar Delegation Leaves for Indonesia

    At the invitation of Association of South-East Asian Nations, a four 
member delegation led by
Director-General of Department of Cultural Institute, Ministry of Culture, 
Chairman of ASEAN Culture and Information Committee left Yangon by air on 14 
October for Indonesia to attend 1st Culture Subcommittee meeting on ASEAN to 
be held from 15 to 17 October.

(9) Second Leg of Myanmar London Gold  Tour Begins in Mandalay

    The second leg of Myanmar London Gold Tour  began at Mandalay Yaetagon 
Taung Golf Club on 14 October with the co-sponsorship of Myanmar Golf 
Federation, Myanmar Professional Golfers' Association and with the assistance 
of Rothmans of Pall Mall Myanmar Pte Ltd.

    After the first round, in professional golfers' division, Win Aung is 
leading  with 71 strokes, Win Naing Tun,  Aung  Zaw Moe and Nay Win Myint  
tied at 72 and Myint Thaung is behind them with 73. In men's amateur 
division, Soe Paing Win is leading with 71 strokes. Min Naing is at the 
second with 72 and Aung Than Htaik was at the third with 73.

(10)    Japan to Grant Assistance for Four BEPSs

    A grant contract was signed at Basic Education High School No. 6, 
Botahtaung, on 14 October to provide  assistance from Japan to construct  new 
buildings at four basic education primary schools in Myanmar. The ambassador 
explained the purpose of the assistance.

(11)    Jade Lots Fetch over $ 1.3 Million

    Sale of gems by competitive bidding at the Mid-Year Gems Emporium was 
being held at the Myanma Gems Emporium Hall, Yangon on 14 October. 150 lots 
of jade worth US $ 1350875 were sold at the gems emporium. A total of US $ 
17362 was realized from sale of jewellery and jade sculpture at fixed prices. 
Sale of jade lots will go on today. Altogether 508 local and foreign gem 
merchants have arrived.

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