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(1) Secretary-1 receives Vice-Foreign Minister of PRC
YANGON, 2 Feb - Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt received Vice-Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China Mr Tang Jiaxuan and party at Dagon Yeiktha of the Ministry of Defence this evening. Present together with the Secretary-l were Minister for Foreign Affairs U Ohn Gyaw and Director-General of Protocol Department Thura U Aung Htet.
The guests were accompanied by Ambassador of PRC Mr Liang Dong.
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YANGON, 2 Feb - The Work Committee for Development of Border Areas and National Races held its Meeting No 1/98 in the hall of the Ministry of Defence with addresses by Chairman of the Work Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and Vice- Chairman of the Work Committee Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo.
Also present at the meeting were Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint, ministers, members of the Work Committee, chairmen of regional work Committees deputy ministers, Chairmen of work subcommittees and specially invited departmental officials.
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(3) Kokang, Wa and Monkoe areas implementing projects to eradicate narcotic drugs
YANGON, 2 Feb - The Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control held its Special Meeting No 1/98 in the Auditorium of the Ministry of Defence today addressed by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.
Also present were Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint, the Chairmen of State/Division Peace and Development Councils, the ministers, Chairman of CCDAC the Minister for Home Affairs and members. Joint Secretary of CCDAC Police Col Ngwe Soe Tun acted as master of ceremonies.
First, well-wishers donated cash for the establishment of a trust fund to eradicate narcotic drugs. Donations were: K 12 million by U Win Thein (Pyi Phyo Aung Construction), K 1 million by U Ohn Myint (Htut Khaung Construction), K 500,000 each by U Htay Myint (Yuzana Construction) and U Kyaw Win (Shwe Thanlwin Construction), K 100,000 each by U Aik Tun (Olympic Construction), U Shwe Kyaing ( Wa Wa Win Construction) and U Than Myint (High Rise Construction), K 100,000 each by U Myat Min (Myanma Ahla Construction), U Ko Ko Htwe (Tawwin Construction), U Zaw Win (Ayon-U Construction) and U Maung Maung (Asia Express Construction), K 50,000 by Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing, K 10,000 each by Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung and Director-General of Myanmar Police Force Police Maj-Gen Soe Win, K 15,000 by Head of Department Col Kyaw Thein of Office of the Strategic Studies and K 10,000 each by Police Col Ngwe Soe Tun and Dr Ba Thaung. Altogether cash donations amounted to K 15.1 million. U Win Thein (Pyi Phyo Aung Construction), on behalf of all the well-wishers, handed the donations to Minister Col Tin Hlaing.
Next, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt delivered an address. He said successive governments had launched anti-narcotic drug activities in the country. He said the drive goes on steadfastly up to the present to eradicate drug abuse and do away with cultivation, production and trafficking of drugs.
He recalled that the practice of growing poppy was not initiated by Myanmar people. He said the colonialists introduced poppy cultivation in Myanmar along the Myanmar-China border in their efforts to expand poppy cultivation after the Opium War in China. Although Myanmar fell victim to the evil legacy of drugs due to colonialist exploitation, he said, certain big nations are shouting otherwise.
He noted the Tatmadaw launched various phases of Operation Moe Hein to eradicate narcotic drugs. After 1988, he said, it also engaged in anti-drug activities.
Realizing that drug trafficking would in no way benefit Myanmar, the MTA armed group which previously engaged in drug trafficking led by U Khun Sa totally abandoned arms and returned to the legal fold. From that time onwards, narcotic drugs production decreased markedly, he said.
The groups that had returned to the legal fold arc also implementing projects to eradicate narcotic drugs. Special Region-4 in eastern Shan State led by U Sai Lin turned out to be the first to achieve success in eradicating narcotic drugs. Kokang, Wa and Monkoe areas too are implementing projects to eradicate narcotic drugs, he said.
He pointed out that the government is cooperating with international organizations and neighbouring countries while taking anti-drug measures at home.
Accordingly, he said, there was considerable drop in narcotic drugs. Still, he said, certain Western nations are ignoring such positive developments in Myanmar and instead they are making false accusations against the country. He noted that Myanmar has been conducting surveys on poppy cultivation in the country every year in cooperation with the United States
Myanmar, he said, is combating narcotic drugs as a national duty. However, he said, there has been weakness in making anti-drug activities known to the world and as such more emphasis should be placed.
Police Col Ngwe Soe Tun then dealt with eradication of poppy cultivation and Dr Ba Thaung of the Psychiatric Hospital reported on detoxification.
The State/Division Peace and Development Council Chairmen, the ministers and CCDAC members then discussed eradication of narcotic drugs.
Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo also forwarded suggestions.
Afterwards, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt high lighted the two strategies calling for expediting work in all aspects as a national duty and improvement of socio-economic conditions of the opium grower national races in the border areas in combating, eradicating and suppressing narcotic drug abuse.
He further stated that the three tactics, namely, suppression tactics, tactics against opium cultivation and tactics against consumption, are to be employed to implement the two strategies.
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(4) Committee for Holding Eighth Student Sport Festival meets
YANGON, 2 Feb - The Committee for Holding the 1998 Eighth Student Sport Festival held its second coordination meeting at the hall of the Ministry of Defence this evening, attended by Patron of the Leading Committee Chairman of Myanmar Education Committee Secretary-l of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.
Present also were Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint, members of the State Peace and Development Council Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than and Chairman of Sagaing Division Peace and Development Council Commander Brig-Gen Soe Win, ministers, senior military officers, deputy ministers, officials of the Office of the State Peace and Development Council departmental heads, members of Leading Committee and members of Management Work Committee and Subcommittee.
Chairman of Chin State Peace and Development Council Col Ohn Thwin reported on preparations for the Student Sport Festival, reception and accommodations for athletes of States and Divisions, judges, coaches and cultural troupe members, arrangements for transport, renovation of roads in the township and water supply.
Director-General of Basic Education Department U Bo Win reported on work done for the festival and transport arrangements for students.
A general round of discussions then followed. The Secretary-1 and the Secretary-2 took part in the discussions.
The meeting ended with the concluding remarks by the Secretary-1.
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YANGON, 2 Feb - A Tatmadaw column of North-East Command, acting on information, seized 42.81 kilos of heroin, 71 kilos of brown sugar, 200 gallons of liquid opium, 378 gallons of spirits, seven assorted arms, five mules and horses, one car, one trawler-jeep and precursor chemicals.
It seized the drugs and the related equipment during its operation in valleys covered by dense forests in Kutkai Township from 25 to 28 January.
During the operation which began at 11 pm on 25 January, the Tatmadaw column encountered with seven armed drug traffickers guarding the related materials and equipment used in refining heroin at 8.15 am on 26 January.
After a short clash with the drug traffickers, the column seized a trawler jeep, one .30 carbine, one M-21 and precursor chemicals.
While combing the area, the column found one heroin refinery at 9 am.
After a brief skirmish with 20 armed guards, the column seized six bodies of the guards, eight huts used in refining opium, 42.81 kilos of heroin, 71 kilos of brown sugar, 200 gallons of liquid opium, a car, precursor chemicals, five mules and horses and live assorted arms.
The Tatmadaw column captured two opium refineries in the operation.
A Tatmadawman was wounded.
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(6) Deputy Prime Minister receives Japanese businessmen
YANGON, 2 Feb - Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of Myanmar Investment Commission Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin received member of Board of Director of Sumitomo Corporation Mr Shuji Hirose and party of Japan at his office this afternoon.
Present also were officials of the Government Office and Myanmar Investment Commission.
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(7) Minister for Education receives Adviser of Asia and Pacific Region UNESCO Office
YANGON, 2 Feb - Minister for Education and Chairman of Myanmar National UNESCO Commission U Than Aung received Adviser of Asia and Pacific Region UNESCO Office Dr Richard Engelhardt at his office this morning.
Present also were Secretary of Myanmar National UNESCO Commission Rector of Yangon Institute of Education U Han Tin and Coordinator Dr Khin Mya Kyu.
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(8) Minister receives Executive Vice-President of Toshiba Corporation
YANGON, 2 Feb - Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha received Leader of Technical Exchange Mission of Mitsui Group and Executive Vice-President of Toshiba Corporation Mr Isamu Nitta and party at his office this morning.
Present also were Deputy Minister for NPED Brig-Gen Zaw Tun and officials.
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(9) Minister for Energy receives new GM of Total Myanmar Exploration & Production
YANGON, 2 Feb - Minister for Energy Brig-Gen Lun Thi received new General Manager of Total Myanmar Exploration and Production here Mr M Viallard and Operation Manager Mr F Rafin at his office this morning.
Present also were Deputy Minister for Energy U Tin Tun, Director General of Energy Planning Department U Soe Myint and Managing Director of Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise U Kyaw Nyein.
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(10) Executives of MMCWA, patrons of Supervisory Committee of MCWA meet
YANGON, 2 Feb - A coordination meeting between executives of Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association and patrons of Supervisory Committees of Maternal and Child Welfare Associations of States and Divisions was held at MMCWA building at corner of Parami and Thanthuma Street in South Okkalapa Township this afternoon.
Present also were Chairperson of MMCWA Professor Daw Kyu Kyu Swe, Vice-Chairpersons Dr Khin Win Shwe and Dr Kyi Soe.
Professor Daw Kyu Kyu Swe and Dr Khin Win Shwe elaborated on tasks being carried out in the states and divisions.
Dr Kyi Soe explained health condition of the states and divisions and tasks to be carried out by members of MCWA.
The patrons reported on tasks being implemented in their respective states and divisions.
Professor Daw Kyu Kyu Swe and Dr Khin Win Shwe gave instructions.
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