News and Views from Myanmar Vol.1 N (r)

[OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx]

Subject: News and Views From Myanmar Vol.1  No.29

                            News and Views From Myanmar
                  (Weekly Bfiefing From MOFA, Yangon, Myanmar)
                              Vol.1  No.29           29July 1999

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    INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS

1.  Exchange of arms for peace by the Kayinni National Development Party      
2.  Establishment of model farms in Kyauktan                      

    
    FOREIGN RELATIONS

3.  Thai Deputy Prime Minister to visit Myanmar                   
4.  Minister for Foreign Affairs attends 32nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting   


    ECONOMIC  NEWS

5.  Malaysia-Myanmar Business Seminar held                    


    GENERAL  NEWS

6.  To enhance forest-sector cooperation                          
7.  441 drug-related cases exposed in June                        

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INTERNAL  DEVELOPMENTS

Exchange of arms for peace by the Kayinni National Development Party

    For more than four decades since Independence, the Union of Myanmar has 
experienced armed  conflicts, and constructive endeavours of successive 
governments were offset by the destructive acts of various armed groups. 
Areas of national brethren, especially those in the border areas suffered 
most severely as a result. Hence, the Government has continuously  
endeavoured to win national solidarity; due to these endeavours the 
government and the armed groups have been able to build mutual understanding 
and trust between them; and national unity is flourishing and gaining success 
due to the true and sincere goodwill of the government.

    Kayah State has been brightened with one more beam of the light of peace 
and the force of national solidarity has been further strengthened as a 
ceremony to mark exchange of arms for peace by the members led by Commander U 
Goeri of Kayinni National Development Party of Hoya Region was held at City 
Hall in Loikaw, Kayah State on 23 July 1999. 

    Following are excerpts from the speech of the Chairman of Work Committee 
for Development of Border Areas and National Races Secretary-1 of the State 
Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt on the occasion: -

-   The day marked the dawning of new rays of peace in Kayah State, and the 
government achieved success in its endeavours for maintenance of peace thanks 
to the cooperation of the peace negotiators to achieve success.


-   Sustained effort will have to be made to achieve total peace in Kayin and 
Kayah States so that every constructive endeavour will bear fruit fully. The 
people of Kayah State, need to seize every opportunity to develop the region 
while keeping vigil against the dangers posed by internal and external 
elements.

-   The cause of differences among the national races and armed conflicts in 
the nation had resulted from the conspiracies to divide the national brethren 
when Myanmar was under the colonial subjugation for over 100 years, and 
people had had to face various kinds of sufferings, large villages were 
reduced to small ones and small villages became deserted places during the 
period of 40 years after the independence was restored.

-   The people were longing for peace as they had faced evil consequences for 
more than 40 years.  Peace and stability could be maintained in the nation as 
the State and some of the armed groups knowing the people?s wish have 
restored peace and built national solidarity.  There are some elements who 
have not returned to the legal fold due to the enticement of the 
neo-colonialists.

-   The Tatmadaw had had to rebuild the nation and made efforts for peace, 
stability and progress of the nation; thus the nation has achieved peace and 
stability and good foundations for progress.

-   The regions which are developing after the achievement of regional peace 
and stability can be witnessed today. As peace and stability has been 
maintained in the entire Shan State, Kokang region, Wa region and regions in 
the eastern Shan State are making rapid progress.
    
-   The government  and the Tatmadaw with sincere goodwill will always strive 
for perpetual consolidation of national solidarity; efforts will be made  to 
ensure development in the entire nation down  to the remote border areas of 
the nation.

    Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt also said that as the troops led by U Goeri 
have exchanged arms for peace, they have now been in the warm embrace of the 
government, and that the government would care for the security and 
livelihood of their families. Commander of Kayinni National Development Party 
U Goeri and Peace Negotiator Priest Sotae Rofame reported on regional 
development projects and requirements.

    Minister and deputy ministers discussed plans for regional development 
such as establishment of new villages, construction of buildings, education 
and health improvement, water and power supply, paving of roads and 
agriculture projects.

Establishment of model farms in Kyauktan

    Myanmar is making efforts to transform mechanized farming from 
conventional cultivation, reclamation of fallow and virgin lands by national 
entrepreneurs, permits to establish private farming, arrangements for uplift 
of quality of life of the farmers in the township and construction of rice 
mills and related machines. The Government is carrying out these tasks for 
farmers to apply modern agricultural technologies and boost per-acre yield 
all over the country while they are cultivating crops on their own farms.


    Plans are underway to establish pilot model farms in Kyauktan Township
in 
Yangon Division,  which would later contribute toward implementation of the 
government?s projects. In fact, Kyauktan is a model township in cultivation 
and it takes active part in implementation of agricultural projects. It has 
been chosen as a pilot project township to undertake livestock breeding at 
manageable scale, to increase income of local people and to cultivate crops 
with the use of modern techniques.

    Success of the pilot project relates to that of the whole country and its 
endeavor will bring about accomplishment of the country as a whole. The 
farmers should make strenuous efforts for success of the project based on 
diligence, efforts and sincerity in accord with the government?s plan.


FOREIGN  RELATIONS

Thai Deputy Prime Minister to visit Myanmar

    At the invitation of Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Secretary-1 of the State Peace 
and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, Deputy Prime Minister of the 
Kingdom of Thailand, Mr. Bhichai Rattakul will pay a goodwill visit to the 
Union of Myanmar in the near future.

Minister for Foreign Affairs attends 32nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting

    At the invitation of the Chairman of the 32nd ASEAN Standing Committee 
and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore Mr. S Jayakumar, Minister for 
Foreign Affairs U Win Aung left Yangon on 22 July 1999 for Singapore to 
attend the 32nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), Sixth ASEAN Regional Forum 
(ARF) and ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) to be held from 23 to 28 
July in Singapore.

    Myanmar Ambassadors to Malaysia, to Thailand and to Singapore, and 
Directors-General of the ASEAN Affairs Department and the Political 
Department are also attending the meetings.


ECONOMIC  NEWS

Malaysia-Myanmar Business Seminar held

    The Malaysia-Myanmar Business Seminar, co-sponsored by the Ministry of 
Commerce of the Union of Myanmar, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers 
of Commerce & Industry and the Malaysian Embassy, was held at the Traders 
Hotel on the morning of 26 July 1999.

    Minister for Commerce Maj-Gen Kyaw Than extended greetings and explained 
?Doing Business in Myanmar?. Then Ministers at the State Peace and 
Development Council Chairman?s Office Brig-Gen Maung Maung and Brig-Gen Abel 
discussed Investment Opportunities in Myanmar and matters related to Myanmar 
and ASEAN.

    Parliament Secretary of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry 
Mr. Kamaruzaman Baria explained about the Malaysia-Myanmar Business Seminar.  
He then explained the situation of economic development in Malaysia with the 
aid of video tapes. Afterwards, officials of the Directorate of Trade, the 
Directorate of Investment and the Companies Administration Department and 
UMFCCI and Malaysian entrepreneurs answered queries raised by participants. 
In the afternoon, Malaysian and Myanmar entrepreneurs discussed investment 
opportunities.  The seminar ended in the evening.


GENERAL  NEWS

To enhance forest-sector cooperation

    Myanmar and the Republic of Korea have agreed to enhance cooperation in 
the forest-sector. Director-General  of  the Forest  Department  of  the  

Ministry  of  Forestry  Dr. Kyaw Tint and Director-General of Forestry
Policy 
Bureau of the Forestry Administration of the ROK Mr. Park Jung Sik signed the 
contract on Arrangement between Forest Administration of ROK and the Ministry 
of Forestry of Myanmar concerning cooperation in the field of forestry at the 
Forest Department on 22 July 1999 morning.

    Mr. Kim Dong Keun and party will visit Bagan-Nyaung U to study setting up 
of forest plantations in Nyaung U Township with the assistance of 
Korean-based Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Their visit will 
also cover the arid region greening projects being undertaken by the 
government, other greening projects being implemented with the help of 
international organizations and Popa Mountain Park.

441 drug-related cases exposed in June

    The Tatmadaw, the Myanmar Police Force and Customs Department exposed 441 
drug-related cases in June 1999.  They seized 89.155 kilos of opium in 20 
cases, 2.805 kilos of heroin in 170 cases, 3.998 kilos of opium oil in six 
cases, 20.267 kilos of marijuana in 67 cases, 16.225 litres of Phensedyl in 
four cases, 0.024 kilo of low-grade opium in seven cases, 4,345,996 stimulant 
tablets in 52 cases, 106.555 kilos of Ephedrine in two cases, 40 kilos of 
ammonium chloride, 275 kilos of soda, 23.375 litres of cough syrup in seven 
cases, 100.1 litres of ether, 36.4 litres of thyonyl chloride, 13.1 litres of 
hydrochloric acid, 136.38 litres of acid, 198.01 litres of opium liquid, 99 
cases for failure to register and seven other cases.Action was taken against 
598 persons?493 men and 105 women?in conection with 441 drug-related cases in 
June.  

    In the 1998-99 cultivation season, 9,824.667 acres or 3,978.99 hectares 
of poppy plantations?7,458.38 acres in Shan State (North), 1,983.5 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?were destroyed.


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