The New Light of Myanmar (Friday, 21 December, 2001)

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The New Light of Myanmar (Friday, 21 December, 2001)
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1. Secretary-1 honours athletes who won medals in Sixth
   World Wushu Championships and XXI Southeast Asia Games
2. Secretary-1 sees off foreign military attaches and
   their families
3. - Minister U Aung Thaung receives PRC guests
   - Minister for Commerce meets Indian counterpart
4. - Forestry Minister meets officials of the ministry
   - Boring machines for artesian well sinking arrive
5. Health Care Management Course concludes
6. - Regular press conference held
   - Fourth BIMST-EC Senior Officials' Meeting concludes
7. - Ambassador U Kyaw Thu presents credentials to President
     of India
   - Thai, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi ministers arrive
8. - National Workshop on Preparation of UNCCD National
     Action Programme opens
   - New school building handed over
9. Myanmar-Korea gymnastic demonstration held

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( 1 )  Wushu athletes urged to strive with zeal, firm determination and
national spirit to win more medals in international competitions
Secretary-1 honours athletes who won medals in Sixth World Wushu
Championships and XXI Southeast Asia Games

Yangon, 20 Dec- The eighth anniversary of Myanmar Wushu Federation was marked
in conjunction with ceremony to honour athletes who won medals in Sixth World
Wushu Championships and XXI Southeast Asian Games. Chairman of Myanmar
National Olympic Council Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development
Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt delivered an address at the ceremony which was held
at Traders Hotel at 6.30 pm today.

The Myanmar Wushu teams won three gold, one silver and two bronze in the
Sixth World Wushu Championships held in Armenia in November 2001 and three
gold, two silver and four bronze in 2001 XXI SEA Games held in Malaysia in
September this year. Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary-1, on behalf of
the State, honoured the president and officials of MWF for success of its
task and Wushu athletes for winning medals in the international competitions.
He said the State is striving to promote the nation's sports standard in
accord with the motto Myanmar sports: the world to conquer. In addition to
the State's leadership and encouragement, active contribution of the public
and close supervision of officials, financial assistance is also required to
promote the national sports standard. Moreover, the athletes themselves
should undergo training and compete with full sportsmanship, patriotism and
unyielding spirit to bring honour to the nation.

At present, the government is fulfilling the requirements to raise the
national sports standard, and the material and financial assistance of the
people and emergence of the sponsors have also led to fulfilling the
requirements. Such favourable conditions have led to fulfilling the
requirements of sports development such as provision of international level
training and sports equipment, hiring of coaches from countries that are
leading in the particular sports events and sending of Myanmar athletes
abroad to gain experience. Thus, Myanmar's Wushu sports has begun to improve
in a short period and won medals in the international competitions. He
elaborated on the accomplishments of the MWF, saying, founded in November
1993, it started to take part in regional and international Wushu contests
beginning 1995; it won the first gold medal in 1997 XIX Southeast Asia Games;
the Myanmar Wushu team won six silver medals in 2000 XX SEA Games and three
gold, two silver and four bronze in 2001 XXI SEA Games. The Myanmar Wushu
team took the ninth position in the Fourth World Wushu Championships held in
Rome, Italy, in 1997.

The Myanmar team won three gold, one silver, two bronze and two second-grade
world-class certificates in the Sixth World Wushu Championships held in
Armenia this year. Myanmar won the fifth place in the medal standings at the
championships in which 43 countries took part. It can be said that a
significant success was achieved there. Due to these successes, President of
MWF U Khin Maung Lay and officials and Wushu athletes were honoured here. The
federation should strive in accord with its honourable aim to win medals in
the Wushu event at the Beijing Olympic. The medalists and new generation
Wushu athletes should also strive with zeal and firm determination and
national spirit to win more medals at the international competitions.

In conclusion, he wished the MWF officials to strive to further raise the
nation's sports standard and the athletes to strive to win medals again and
again in the international sports meets as the good sons and daughters of the
nation. MWF President U Khin Maung Lay spoke words of thanks. Gold medalist
Ma Swe Swe Thant presented K 100,000 to the federation through U Khin Maung
Lay. A video documentary 'Ein-met Yaungchi Myu-thaw Myanmar Ei-Wushu' (Dreams
of Myanmar Wushu come true) honouring the athletes was shown at the ceremony.
Afterwards, a dinner was hosted. Also present were member of the State Peace
and Development Council Adjutant-General Maj-Gen Thein Sein, ministers, the
Yangon mayor, members of MNOC, members of Myanmar Olympic Committee, deputy
ministers, leading patrons of Myanmar Women's Sports Federation, officials of
the State Peace and Development Council Office, heads of department,
officials of sports federations, managers and coaches, officials of MWF,
medalist Wushu athletes and guests.
___________________________

( 2 )  Secretary-1 sees off foreign military attaches and their families

Yangon, 20 Dec- Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Chief
of Military Intelligence Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and responsible personnel saw off
foreign military attaches and their families, who are going to make an
excursion of Central Command region and North-West Command region, at Yangon
International Airport this morning. The excursion group was headed by Head of
Department of the Office of Military Intelligence Col Thein Swe and Dean of
Diplomatic Corps to Myanmar and Lao People's Democratic Republic Defence
AttachŽ Col Phanh Sonephachanh.
___________________________

( 3 )  Minister U Aung Thaung receives PRC guests

Yangon, 20 Dec- Minister for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung received Deputy General
Manager of CMC Complete Equipment & Engineering I/E Company, CMC group of the
People's Republic of China Mr Liu Zhongjun and party at his office on Kaba
Aye Pagoda Road at 2 pm today. Also present on the occasion were Deputy
Minister Brig-Gen Kyaw Win, the directors-general and the managing directors
of the departments and enterprises under the ministry.

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Minister for Commerce meets Indian counterpart

Yangon, 20 Dec- Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone met Minister of
Commerce and Industry of India Mr Rajeev Pratap Rudy and party, accompanied
by Ambassador of India to Myanmar Vivek Katju, at his office at 5.30 pm
today. Also present at the call were Deputy Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen
Kyaw Hsan, Director-General of Directorate of Trade U Nyunt Aye, Managing
Director of Myanma Agricultural Produce Trading U Min Hla Aung, Deputy
Director-General of Border Trade Department U Thein Lwin and departmental
officials.
__________________________

( 4 ) Forestry Minister meets officials of the ministry

Yangon, 20 Dec- Minister for Forestry U Aung Phone met with officials of
departments and enterprises under the Ministry of Forestry at the Head Office
of Myanma Timber Enterprise this afternoon and gave instructions on work
being carried out and future tasks. Present at the meeting were the director
s-general and the managing directors of the Planning and Statistics
Department, the Forest Department, Myanma Timber Enterprise, the Survey
Department and the Arid Zone Greening Department under the Ministry of
Forestry, the advisers and officials, the deputy directors, the assistant
general managers and others.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that 67.12 million saplings were
planted by the Forest Department, the Arid Zone Greening Department and the
public this year, and under the guidance of the Head of State, the Ministry
of Forestry will grow Thitseint trees according to the five-year plan running
from 2002 to 2006 to ensure local sufficiency of edible oil. A total of 4.9
million Thitseint trees will be grown annually throughout the nation by the
ministry, he said and spoke of the need for the state and division forest
departments to make earnest efforts for sufficiency of saplings. He called on
officials to make concerted efforts to meet and exceed the targets of
production, local distribution and export of forest products. The minister
also gave instructions on work to be carried out and practice of thrift in
implementing the tasks. Then, the meeting came to an end.

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Boring machines for artesian well sinking arrive

Yangon, 20 Dec- Boring machines and accessories for tube-well sinking under
Japanese government's grants arrived at No 2 Sule Wharf here by Vessel
Augusta Triumph this afternoon. Minister for Progress of Border Areas and
National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein Nyunt accompanied by Deputy
Minister U Kyaw Tin inspected unloading of the machinery at the wharf this
afternoon. Director-General Col Myo Myint of Development Affairs Department,
officials of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Mitsubishi
Cooperation showed the machinery to the minister. The machinery arrived today
were two TONE boring machines, four wheel-mounted cranes, four compressors,
four vehicles, one mobile workshop, three administrative vehicles and
accessories worth ´ 600 million. Development Affairs Department in
collaboration with JICA, with the use of the machinery, will carry out tasks
for supplying of water at the villages in Shan State (North) and other
regions where water is scarce.
__________________________

( 5 )  Health Care Management Course concludes

Yangon, 20 Dec- The closing ceremony of the Health Care Management Course
2/2001 of the Health Department of the Ministry of Health was held at the
Health Staff Training School on East Bazaar Road in Dagon Township this
morning, with an address by Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein. Also
present on the occasion were Deputy Ministers Prof Dr Mya Oo and Prof Dr Kyaw
Myint, directors-general and deputy directors-general from the ministry,
rectors, directors, deputy directors, medical superintendents, guests, course
instructors and trainee nurses.

Minister Maj-Gen Ket Sein made an address. He said pondering on the results
of the courses conducted at this school, it can be seen that success is
achieved in every step of health care tasks, leadership and management. At a
time when concerted efforts are being made for the emergence of a modern and
developed nation, health sector plays a vital role to be able to form a
healthy man power and the ministry is striving for the nation to be an ideal
nation that can keep abreast of the neighbouring nations and can lead them,
he said. The ministry is taking good care in laying down plans based on
manpower, finance and strength available for the best advantages. Health
plans have been laid and are being implemented since 1978 and now the
National Health Plan (2001-2006) is being implementetermd in line with the
third short five-year plan, he added. In implementing the guidance of the
Head of State for the development of human resources in health sector,
courses are conducted to promote the skills of the health staff, and progress
is achieved due to the balanced upgrading of machinery, he pointed out.

The skills of health staff in Myanmar including nurses is renown not only in
Myanmar but in the world, and the State confers B N Sc degrees to promote the
ability of nurses and M N Sc courses will be opened soon, and scholars are
sent to Australia for Ph D degree courses. To be able to produce more nurses,
the Institute of Nursing was opened in Mandalay and Nursing Schools were
opened in Bhamo, Meiktila and Hinthada, he said. Nurses have been sent to
foreign countries to attend courses, seminars and to have international
experience.

He urged the trainees to not only apply the knowledge and techniques gained
from the course but also share them with collagues and subordinates, and to
actively take part in health care activities of the State and to try their
best in response to the gratitude of the State. The trainee officers are to
systematically use manpower, finance and strength in hand for the effective
health care task, he said. In conclusion, he said nurses play a key role in
health care services for the public and trainee nurses are to take a leading
role in promoting of the health standard of the public with goodwill and to
strive for becoming dutiful staff who are loyal to the state and the people.

He then presented the first prize to Matron Daw Ohn Shin of Hpa-an General
Hospital in Kayin State, the second to Nursing Officer Capt Aye Aye Thein of
the Defence Services Obstetric and Gynaecology Hospital and the third to
Nurse (grade-1) Daw Khin Tint of Health Planning Department in Sagaing
Division. Afterwards, Nurse Daw Enkhun Monglon of Myitkyina General Hospital,
on behalf of the trainees, spoke words of thanks. Altogether 33 trainees Ñ
deputy-directors (nursing) from the Head Office of the Health Department and
state/division health departments, matrons, senior nurses and township nurses
(grade-1) attended the four-week course.
___________________________

( 6 ) Regular press conference held

Yangon, 20 Dec- Regular press conference with local and foreign journalists
was held at Tatmadaw Guest House on Inya Road here at 10 am today. Present on
the occasion were Vice-Chief of Military Intelligence Maj-Gen Kyaw Win,
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win, Deputy Minister for
Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Deputy Minister for Information
Brig-Gen Aung Thein, the senior military officers of the Ministry of Defence,
heads of department, officials of the Ministry of Information, Correspondent
U Sein Win of Kyodo News Agency, Secretary of Myanmar Foreign Correspondents
Club U Nyunt Tin and member correspondents and guests.

At the conference, Vice-Chief of Military Intelligence Maj-Gen Kyaw Win,
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win, and officials replied
to queries raised by the local and foreign journalists. Replying to queries
on the state visit to the Union of Myanmar by the goodwill delegation led by
President of the People's Republic of China Mr Jiang Zemin and Madame Wang
Yeping, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win said that the
PRC President paid a state visit to the Union of Myanmar with the aim of
further strengthening the ties of friendship between Myan-mar and the PRC and
promoting mutual cooperation between the two countries. During the visit, the
ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries have been
further cemented, and the visit to the Union of Myanmar by the PRC President
and party was completely successful. Then, the regular press conference came
to a close.

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Fourth BIMST-EC Senior Officials' Meeting concludes

Yangon, 20 Dec- The 4th BIMST-EC Senior Officials' Meeting hosted by Myanmar
concluded at the Sedona Hotel on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road this afternoon. Present
on the occasion were senior officials and delegates of BIMST-EC from
Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand and officials. Leader of
Myanmar delegation Director-General U Win Mra of International Organizations
and Economic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presided over the
meeting and gave a speech. Delegates discussed and approved the draft of
joint communique to be issued at the 4th BIMST-EC Ministers' Meeting.

They also discussed fixing a date and country for holding the 5th BIMST-EC
Ministers' Meeting. Then, General round of discussions followed. Later,
finishing touches were given to the draft of the report of the meeting and
approved it. Then, the meeting came to a close. The 4th BIMST-EC Senior
Ministers' Meeting will be held at the Sedona Hotel on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road
on 21 December. Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win hosted a
dinner in honour of senior officials and delegates at Mya Yeik Nyo Royal
Hotel here this evening.
___________________________

( 7 ) Ambassador U Kyaw Thu presents credentials to President of India

Yangon, 21 Dec- U Kyaw Thu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the Union of Myanmar to the Republic of India, presented his credentials to
His Excellency Shri Kocheril Raman Narayanan, President of the Republic of I
ndia, on 11 December 2001, in New Delhi.

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Thai, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi ministers arrive

Yangon, 20 Dec- To attend the Fourth BIMST-EC Ministers' Meeting, which will
be hosted by Myanmar, the Thai delegation led by Adviser to the Minister for
Foreign Affairs of Thailand Dr Pracha Guna-Kasem and party arrived at Yangon
by air at 9.20 am, the Sri Lankan de-legation led by Minister Assisting
Foreign Affairs Hon Lal Dharmapriya Gamage at 11.45 am and the Bangladeshi
delegation led by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr Reaz Rahman at 7
pm today. The delegation leaders and members of Thailand, Sri Lanka and
Bangladesh were welcomed at Yangon International Airport by Chairman of the
Subcommittee for Holding the Fourth BIMST-EC Senior Officials' Meeting and
Reception Director-General of Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs Thura U Aung Htet and responsible officials, ambassadors of
respective countries and embassy staff.
___________________________

( 8 )   National Workshop on Preparation of UNCCD National Action Programme
opens

Yangon, 20 Dec- National Workshop on Preparation of the United Nations
Convention to Combat Desertification National Action Programme opened at the
Forest Department here this morning with an address by Deputy Minister for
Forestry Col Thaik Tun. The workshop is jointly sponsored by the United
Nations Convention to Combat Deser-tification (UNCCD) and the Ministry of
Forestry, and will continue tomorrow. Speaking on the occasion, Deputy
Minister Col Thaik Tun elaborated on progress of work in implementing the dry
zone greening project in central Myanmar, importance of the activities
relating to combating desertification, conservation of soil, water and
climatic conditions not to degrade soil and water and and measures to be
taken for socio-economic development in respective regions.

He urged all to discuss what should be done for the sake of the new
generation and the task of laying a good foundation to combat desertification
in Myanmar on a national scale and to prevent soil degradation. Deputy
Resident Representative of UNDP Ms Renata Lok Dessallien, Asia Regional
Coordinator of UNCCD U Wai Lin and representative of the Japanese Embassy in
Myanmar Mr Kiyoshi Koinuma also gave speeches. At the National Workshop on
Preparation of the UNCCD National Action Programme, discussions on the
subjects including conservation of the natural environment, protection and
preservation of land, water, climate and forests, socio-economic progress of
the local people and prevention of the soil degradation in Myanmar which is
leading towards desertification will be made among international experts,
officials of the related bodies in Myanmar, local officials and the public.

Forty-seven representatives from the District Peace and Development Councils
of Mandalay, Sagaing and Magway Divisions of the dry region, regional forest
enterprises, National Commission for Environmental Affairs, Agricultural
Planning Department, Myanma Agriculture Service, Irrigation Department,
Fisheries Department, Geography Department of Yangon University, Health
Department, Ministry of Science and Technology, Remote Sensing and Data
Processing Centre, News and Periodicals Enterprise, Planning Department,
Meteorology and Hydrology Department, Planning and Statistics Department of
Ministry of Forestry, Forest Department, Dry Zone Greening Department,
National Working Committee for WomenÕs Affairs, Myanmar Maternal and Child
Welfare Association and FREDA are taking part in the discussions. Also
present at the opening ceremony were Resident Representative of FAO Mr
Bhaskar Barua, heads of departments and enterprises, officials of District
Peace and Development Councils of Mandalay, Sagaing and Magway Divisions,
FREDA, Ministry of Forestry and others.

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New school building handed over

Yangon, 20 Dec- A ceremony to open the new two-storey school building of No 3
BEHS of Thanlyin, Yangon South District and hand over it to the Ministry of
Education, took place at the new school building yesterday afternoon.
Director-Gexneral U Tin Win of No 3 Basic Education Department, Ven Chein
Toon of the Buddha Alinyaung Monastery, Bangkok, Thailand, Chairman Liu Zhein
Fong of donor companies and wellwishers formally opened the school.
Director-General of No 3 BED U Tin Win, Ven Chein Toon and Chairman Liu Zhein
Fong spoke on the occasion. Then, U Win Aung, headmaster of No 3 BEHS spoke
words of thanks. Ven Chein Toon handed over documents relating to the school
to Director-General U Tin Win and presented gifts to the headmaster and
teachers. The headmaster gave a picture of the Shwedagon Pagoda as a token of
Dhamma charity, after which the ceremony came to a close.

___________________________

( 9 ) Myanmar-Korea gymnastic demonstration held

Yangon, 20 Dec- The Myanmar-Korea gymnastic exhibition was held at the
National Indoor Stadium-1 in Thuwunna at 2 pm today. It was attended by
Chairman of the Myanmar Olympic Committee Minister for Sports Brig-Gen Thura
Aye Myint, members of the Panel of Patrons of the Myanmar Women's Sports
Federation, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Mr Chung Jung-gum,
Director-General of the Sports and Physical Education Department U Thaung
Htaik, officials, fans and students. The acrobats and coaches took position
at the designated places. The minister, the Korean ambassador and officials
greeted them. Then, the Korean acrobats were introduced to the audience, and
the acrobats of the two countries exchanged commemorative pennants and
bouquets. Afterwards, acrobatic skill demonstrations were presented. The
exhibition continues at 2 pm on 22 December.

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