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BURMA RELATED NEWS - OCT - 30, 2000. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HEADLINE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asia Pulse - S Korea-Myanmar Commerce Ministers
Discuss Economic Cooperation
Asia Pulse - Chinese Govt Approves Six More
Travel Destinations for Chinese Tourists
DVB - Burma Air Force F-7 fighter reportedly
crashed, pilot killed
DVB - Burma opposition radio reports power
struggle between Wa and Kachin people
Monday, October 30 3:50 PM SGT
S Korea-Myanmar Commerce Ministers Discuss Economic Cooperation SEOUL, Oct 30 Asia Pulse -
Commerce, Industry and Energy Minister Shin Kook-hwan met with Minister of
Commerce Pyi Sone from Myanmar to discuss economic cooperation, the MOCIE said
Monday.
Minister Shin requested Pyi Sone help Pohang Iron & Steel(POSCO)'s
incorporation in Myanma secure import licenses. POSCO's local company in Myanmar
imports steel directly from its headquarters in Korea every month.
Shin also asked for Myanmar's support for an oil expedition project in
Myanmar 100-percent financially backed by Daewoo Corp.
In return, Minister Pyi Sone said his country also wants Korea to increase
investments there, seminars and job training.
He added technological support is also needed.
Pyi Sone is in Korea at the invitation of the Foreign Affairs and Trade
Ministry. He leaves Seoul Thursday after taking part in a Myanmar investment
session
Monday, October 30 12:07 PM SGT
Chinese Govt Approves Six More Travel Destinations for Chinese Tourists BEIJING, Oct 30 Asia Pulse -
The Chinese government has approved that Chinese citizens can travel to six more
countries at their own expense, bringing the total number to 15.
This is in response to the China National Tourism Administration [CNTA]
recently announcing a ban on travel agencies organizing tourists to travel to
unapproved foreign destinations.
The six approved countries are Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Nepal and
Brunei. They attract Chinese travelers because they have rich cultural and
multiple tourist resources, said officials from the CNTA.
Statistics show that nearly two million Chinese people traveled abroad last
year, up 60 percent on the previous year. The increase is attributed to the
improvement of living standards and the increase in holidays.
DVB - Burma Air
Force F-7 fighter reportedly crashed, pilot killed
Text of report by Burmese opposition radio on 29th October A Burma Air Force [BAF] pilot was killed when his fighter plane crashed on 19th October. DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma] correspondent Ma Sandar filed this report. Fighter plane no. 1645 from the 5th Squadron of Meiktila Air Force Training School attached to the Mingaladon Air Base crashed over Tada-U [international] airport at 0905 [local time] while on a mission. The pilot of the fighter plane, Lt Thein Naing Soe, Burma Air Force Commission No. 2302, was also killed. The plane - an F-7 which the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] government bought from China is said to be worth about 1m US dollar. It has been learned that the authorities concerned have not issued any official news report concerning the crash. DVB - Burma
opposition radio reports power struggle between Wa and Kachin
people
Text of report by Burmese opposition radio on 29th
October
DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma] has learned that there was an internal coup
within the Mongkho Defence Army, MDA, from northern Shan State which has signed
a cease-fire agreement with the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council], on
24th October, Tuesday.
The situation is still tensed today and the regional SPDC battalion is said
to have encircled the MDA headquarters. Wa Deputy Commander Li Ni Ming staged
the coup because of the dissatisfaction over the Kachin nationals holding the
power in the MDA where the majority are ethnic Wa people. It has been learned
that Kachin leaders - MDA Chairman U Mong Sar La, Vice Chairman U Zaw La,
Intelligence Commander U Mahaw Nawng Lat, and committee members U Maran Grawng
and U La Saing were detained at the Mongkho headquarters. But Kachin tactical
commander U Mar Mong and some Kachin commanders are regrouping its forces to
stage an offensive to recapture the headquarters.
Battalions under the SPDC Northeast Military Command stationed near the
Monghko headquarters are said to have blockaded Monghko and are waiting for
orders from Rangoon's War Office to continue their movements.
Monghko region was the northern headquarters of the now defunct Burma
Communist Party, BCP. After the disintegration of the Communist Party in 1989,
it became the headquarters of the Kokang when the Kokang group signed a
cease-fire agreement with the SPDC. Later it became the headquarters of the MDA
led by Mong Sar La and it has been administered jointly by Mong Sar La and the
SPDC forces since then. It is located near the Burma-China border and is better
know as the Monghko-Manghai border trade route.
MDA is involved in drugs trafficking and MDA Chairman U Mong Sar la has
been wanted by the Chinese Government for drug trafficking. An unknown armed
group tried to assassinate him twice in 1998 over control of the drug
trafficking territory. An attempted coup was staged in 1998 by some MDA members
and Wa national Hong Lauk Si. The attempted coup failed and they had to flee to
China. DVB correspondent Myo Win Than filed this
report. |