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TOP SLORC IN Singapore In Trade Tal



SINGAPORE, Oct 2 (Reuter) - Senior Burmese leader Khin Nyunt will arrive in
Singapore on Friday for high level trade and investment talks, the Singapore
government said. 

The powerful Secretary One of the military-run State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC), will lead a large delegation to this weekend's
second joint ministerial working committee meeting, a Singapore government
statement said. 

Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt will also meet Singapore Prime Minister Goh
Chok Tong and his deputy, Lee Hsien Loong. 

Singapore is Burma's largest trading partner. Last year trade more than
doubled to Singapore $1.31 billion (US$856.21 million), from S$615.9 million
in 1991, according to Singapore's Trade Development Board (TDB). 

Total trade between the two countries during the first eight months of this
year grew to S$854 million. 

Singapore is also the second largest investor in Burma, after the United
Kingdom. Current Singapore investments in Burma is US$1.3 billion involving
55 projects, the statement said. 

The Burmese delegation is to include top officials from the ministries of
hotels and tourism, national planning and economic development, transport,
foreign affairs, agriculture and irrigation, the statement said. 

Singapore's side in the meeting will be led by Trade and Industry minister
Lee Yock Suan and include the ministers for communications and national
development. 

The joint ministerial committee meets every 18 months and the first meeting
was held in Burma in January 1996. 

The second meeting on October 4 will explore new areas such as transport,
telecommunications and trade, as well as review the progress of current
cooperation in tourism, agro-business and workers training, the statement
said. 

It said the two countries would sign a shipping agreement and their chambers
of commerce would sign a memorandum of understanding. It gave no details of
either pact. 

Singapore is a strong proponent of constructive engagement with Burma, which
was admitted to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in July
together with Laos. 

ASEAN also includes Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore
Thailand and Vietnam. 

The organisation says it hopes that by boosting meetings and dialogue with
Burma, it will help bring about reforms within the family fold rather than
resort to sanctions or direct intervention. 

US1 -S$1.53 

03:46 10-02-97