Information Sheet No.B-1189 (I)

[OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx]

MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE
YANGON

Information  Sheet
No.B-1189 (I)                  21st December, 1999

(1) Regional Workshop on ASEAN Investment Area (AIA)  Process Begins

    Regional Workshop on the ASEAN Investment Area (AIA)
Process jointly organized by Directorate of Investment
and Companies Administration, ASEAN Secretariat and
Hanns Seidel Foundation began at Hotel Equatorial in
Yangon on 20 December. Also present were Minister for
Mines, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs,
ambassadors of Germany and Laos, Charge d'Affaires ai
of Embassy if Singapore, senior investment officials
from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, observers
and guests. The Coordinating Committee on Investment
(CCI), under its Human Resource Development Programme,
is to conduct one workshop for the new Member
Countries and another workshop for the other ASEAN
Member Countries every year. This is the first of its
kind of the new member countries. This is made
possible with funding support from Hanns Seidel
Foundation (Germany). The prime objective of the
workshop is to provide investment officials from new
Member countries, responsible for the implementation
of the AIA Agreement, with better understanding on
international investment issues discussed at
international fora and to facilitate discussion on how
the new member countries could better respond to the
ramifications of these international investment
issues. In line with such objective, the topics such
as international investment issues and its
implications, investment cooperation in ASEAN, and
features, commitment and progress in the
implementation of the AIA Agreement will be discussed
by prominent resource persons. Participants will make
country presentations and exchange views and
experiences.            
    The Second ASEAN Informal Summit, held in Kuala
Lumpur on 15th December 1997, adopted the ASEAN Vision
2020. In order to implement the long-term vision,
actions plans are being drawn up. At the Sixth ASEAN
Summit held in Hanoi in December 1998, the ASEAN
Leaders had adopted the Hanoi Plan of Action aiming
at, among others, implementing initiatives to hasten
economic recovery. To create a stable, prosperous and
highly competitive ASEAN Economic Region in which
there is a free flow of goods services and
investments, the initiatives such as acceleration of
implementing the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and
acceleration of the ASEAN Investment Area (AIA) were
included. Moreover, the bold measures were launched in
order to improve the investment climate by extending
additional special privileges to qualified ASEAN and
non- ASEAN investors in the manufacturing sector, for
applications received from 1st January 1999 to 31st
December 2000 and approved thereafter. It was agreed
that in order to accelerate the implementation of the
AIA Agreement, Temporary Exclusion List (TEL) for the
manufacturing sector will be progressively phased out
by the year 2003 instead of waiting for 2010 as
initially agreed. Myanmar will join the first six
ASEAN countries to progressively phase out the
exclusions by the year 2003 instead of 2015. Vietnam
and Laos will exert their best efforts to achieve the
early realization of the AIA  and shall do so no later
than 2010, instead of 2013 and 2015 respectively. Due
to the impact of economic turmoil in the region, FDI
flows have slowed down significantly. In this context,
discussions of this workshop aimed at enhancement of
the understanding of the investment officials on FDI
flows into the region as well as the global FDI trend,
pattern and development. Participants led by expert
Mr. Martin Khor and Senior Officer Ms. Maricel Macesar
of ASEAN Secretariat discussed investment matters
relating to World Trade Organization and impact on
member nations, prospects of foreign investment in
ASEAN region, points on the investment agreement among
ASEAN nations and implementation. The workshop
continues on 21 December.

(2) Debriefing Workshop on Findings of Modified Vital Registration System in 
Four Townships Begins  

    The opening ceremony of  '' Debriefing Workshop on
Findings of Modified Vital Registration System in Four
Townships'' co-sponsored by the Central Statistical
Organization of the Ministry of National Planning an
economic Development and the Health Department, with
the assistance of United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF), was held at the meeting hall of National
Archives Department, Yangon on 20 December. Present on
the occasion were Deputy Ministers, representative of
UNICEF (Yangon) and officials, heads of department,
invited guests from non-governmental organizations and
participants. Altogether 40 participants from 12
departments of seven ministries and six NGOs
participated in the workshop.

(3 )    Minister for CPT Attends Opening of Training Courses
        
         A ceremony to open Postal Accountancy
Refresher Course, Computer Network Administration
Course, S.S Cable Construction and Maintenance Course
and Facsimile Operator Training Course was held at
Telecommunication and Postal Training Centre of Myanma
Posts and Telecommunications, Yangon on 20 December.
The Postal Accountancy Refresher Course is the first
of its kind, and course curriculum is designed to suit
the requirements of the practical field . The course
will last for two weeks and lectures will focus on
practical work. Computer network administration is an
essential subject for linking computers in a network
 .The course will last for five weeks and facts which
should be known in linking computers and the
application of computer network will be taught
theoretically and practically. S.S Cable Construction
and Maintenance Course is conducted with the aim of
ensuring the emergence of employees who are skilled at
systematic cable construction and maintenance and this
course will last for three weeks. Facsimile Operator
Training Course  is the seventh of its kind and will
last for one week and the course is conducted with the
aim of enabling employees of  Myanma Posts and
Telecommunications Department and those who are using
facsimile machines on hire to apply and maintain
facsimile machines. Postal Accountancy Refresher
Course is being attended by 10 trainees, Computer
Network  Administration Course by 10, S.S Cable
Construction and Maintenance Course by 15 and
Facsimile Operator Training Course by eight. 

(4)     Basic Hotel Service Courses Opened

        The basic hotel service courses coorganized by
Directorate of Hotels and Tourism and Baiyoke
Kandawgyi Hotel Co Ltd were held at Kandawgyi Palace
Hotel . Altogether 123 trainees are attending four
courses which will last for eight weeks.

(5)     Myanmar Laws (1997) on Sale

        The Attorney-General's Office annually published
Myanmar version books on laws prescribed by the State
Law and Order Restoration Council and the State Peace
and Development Council. The Myanmar Laws (1997) in
English version translated and published by the
Attorney-General's Office is now in circulation for
reference of the government departments, companies and
foreigners. The book is available at the
Attorney-General's Office at K 200 per copy.