Burma Paves Way for privatisatio

[FreeBurma@xxxxxxx]

Burma paves way for wide-scale privatisation

    RANGOON, Oct 11 (Reuter) - Burma's military government has begun steps
towards extensive privatisation of state-owned economic enterprises, the
official media reported on Tuesday. 
    Senior junta member and military intelligence chief Lieutenant-General
Khin Nyunt gave a keynote address at a meeting to coordinate policy held in
Rangoon on Monday, the New Light of Myanmar (Burma) newspaper said. 
    The ministers of light industry, forestry, health, economic planning,
information, livestock breeding and fisheries, communications, posts and
telegraphs and the deputy minister of transport attended the meeting. 
    Khin Nyunt said the meeting was to discuss and coordinate ways of
transferring the state's economic undertakings to the private sector. 
    First it will be necessary to transfer small enterprises and factories as
soon as possible while studying the privatisation of medium and large
enterprises for a later date, according to Khin Nyunt. 
    A number of small food-processing factories and flour mills have been
transferred to private ownership since the ruling junta abandoned a unique
brand of socialism in 1988 and declared a mixed economy. 
    Khin Nyunt said ``systematic and proper'' privatisation would spur growth
in private investment and lead eventually to an increase in production. 
 REUTER


Transmitted: 94-10-11 00:21:14 EDT