The New Light of Myanmar (22-2-97)

                        Myanmar to host RCA meeting

          YANGON, 21 Feb -- The Government of the Union of
     Myanmar has agreed to host the Nineteenth Working Group
     Meeting of RCA in Yangon from 10 to 15 March 1997.  RCA
     is the Regional Cooperative Agreement for research,
     development and training related to nuclear sciences
     which includes seventeen member states from Asia and
     Pacific Region and the International Atomic Energy
     Agency (IAEA).

          The Myanma Atomic Energy Committee is making
     preparatory arrangements for the meeting.  A Steering
     Committee to organise the meeting has been formed under
     the patronage of U Thaung, Minister of Science and
     Technology.  The president of the Steering Committee is
     U Aung Koe, Deputy-Chairman of Atomic Energy Committee
     and the Secretary is Dr. Tin Hlaing, Secretary of
     Myanma Atomic Energy Committee.


         The Myanma Atomic Energy Committee is working to
     promote nuclear technology applications in Myanmar. 
     Eight ministries now have nuclear technology
     applications or research programmes all of which have
     substantial support from RCA and IAEA.  There are
     fifteen specialised RCA nuclear science projects in
     which eight ministries are involved.

          The nineteenth RCA Working Group Meeting will be
     attended by representatives from IAEA and seventeen
     member states.  It will be the first international
     nuclear science meeting in Myanmar where developments
     in nuclear science and future programmes will be
     discussed.

          The meeting also coincides with the Silver Jubilee
     of RCA although Myanmar became a member only in 1994. 
     Along with the meeting celebrations to mark the Silver
     Jubilee of RCA have also been planned.  On the last day
     of the meeting a tripartite meeting of RCA/IAEA/UNDP is
     also scheduled.


          The member states of RCA are Australia,
     Bangladesh, People's Republic of China, India,
     Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia,

     Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, the
     Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and
     Vietnam.