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YANGON, 13 Feb - Mr Jozef Bozek, newly accredited Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the Union of Myanmar, presented his credentials to Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, at Dagon Yeiktha of the Ministry of Defence at 10 am today.
Also present on the occasion were State Peace and Development Council Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Ohn Gyaw and Director-General Thura U Aung Htet of the Protocol Department.
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(2) Senior General Than Shwe and Daw Kyaing Kyaing to pay State visit to Republic of the Philippines
YANGON, 14 Feb - At the invitation of the President of the Republic of the Philippines His Excellency Fidel V Ramos and Madame Amelita M Ramos, the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar His Excellency Senior General Than Shwe and Daw Kyaing Kyaing will pay a State Visit to the Republic of the Philippines in the near future.
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YANGON, 13 Feb - Mr Cesar Gonzalez-Palacios, newly accredited Ambassador of the Spain to the Union of Myanmar, presented his credentials to Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, at Dagon Yeiktha of the Ministry of Defence at 9.30 am today.
Also present on the occasion were State Peace and Development Council Secretary-l Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Ohn Gyaw and Director-General Thura U Aung Htet of the Protocol Department.
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(4) Myanmar will host FAO's 24th Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific
YANGON, 13 Feb - A meeting to discuss hosting of the FAO's 24th Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific in Myanmar was held at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation this afternoon, with an address by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.
The meeting was also attended by Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Minister at the Office of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Brig-Gen Abel, Minister for Finance and Revenue U Khin Maung Thein, Minister for Forestry U Aung Phone, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Ohn Gyaw, Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing, Minister for Information Maj-Gen Kyi Aung, Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj-Gen Saw Lwin, Minister for Transport Lt-Gen Tin Ngwe, Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraphs Brig-Gen Win Tin, Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Brig-Gen Maung Maung Thein, Minister for Immigration and Population U Saw Tun, Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein, Deputy Ministers for Agriculture and Irrigation Brig-Gen Khin Maung and U Ohn Myint, Director-General of the Office of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Pe Nyein, departmental heads and officials.
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt said Myanmar will host the FAO's 24th Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific in April 1998.
He noted that it will be the highest international level meeting organized in the time of the State Peace and Development Council and that a great number of ministers from foreign countries are expected to attend it.
Participants from 33 member countries of Asia and the Pacific, observer countries, UN agencies, NGOs and the Conference Secretary's group and staff to be sent by FAO totaling over 200 are expected to attend, he said.
He stressed the need for respective ministries to coordinate and cooperate for the materialization of the aims of the Conference and for its success.
He' said that as Myanmar is an agro-based country, food is sufficient but it still needs to cooperate with FAO for modernization and development of the agriculture sector.
The Secretary-1 noted that by hosting the Conference, Myanmar will gain more international experience, strengthen friendly ties with member countries and show Myanmar's abundant food supplies.
He said the member countries, after witnessing good potentials and resources in the agriculture sector, will understand that Myanmar is a potential country which can supply food sufficiently to the South-East Asian and Asian countries and they will provide technology and support.
Minister Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin explained the preparations to host the Conference.
He said the Cabinet Meeting No 16/96 held on 8 May 1996 approved the hosting of the Conference and in accord with this approval, Myanmar delegation to the 23rd Conference submitted the proposal to host it. The Republic of Korea also proposed.
Nepal, he said, also proposed to host the Conference at the Asian groups' meeting held at FAO Headquarters in Rome, and when the matter was decided on 30 May 1997, the majority of countries in the region agreed in favour of Myanmar.
FAO sent missions to Myanmar three times to make preparations for organizing the Conference and there will be about 200 participants, he said.
A general round of discussions followed.
In his concluding address, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt said the discussions at the meeting contribute a great deal to organizing the Conference and noted that the success of the Conference will promote Myanmar's dignity.
He spoke of the need to coordinate thoroughly and seriously so as to rule out problems and inconveniences.
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(5) Japan-Myanmar Friendship Association Chairperson meets CEC members of MMCWA
YANGON, 13 Feb - Chairperson of Japan-Myanmar Friendship Association Mrs Yoshiko Ohtaka and party met Central Executive Committee members of Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association at the office of MCWA branch of No 1 Support Unit of the Directorate of Defence Services Intelligence, Mayangon Township, at 10 am today.
Chairperson of the MMCWA Professor Daw Kyu Kyu Swe and Vice-Chairperson Dr Khin Win Shwe briefed them on tasks for the betterment of community being carried out by the association.
Mrs Yoshiko Ohtaka presented 3,000 FECs to the MMCWA.
Professor Daw Kyu Kyu Swe accepted the donation. Dr Khin Win Shwe presented souvenir to the donor.
Then, official briefed the visitors on the Pre-primary School of the MCWA of the unit.
The visitors together with Professor Daw Kyu Kyu Swe and Dr Khin Win Shwe proceeded to the office of the Bahan Township MCWA. They were welcomed by Township Vice-Chairperson of the association Daw Khin Myint Myint and executives.
Joint-Secretary of the township association Daw Nwe Mar Win briefed them on tasks being done by the Bahan Township MCWA.
The visitors and party held discussions on women affairs with members of Myanmar National Working Committee for Women's Affairs on 11 February.
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(6) Prizes awarded for Children's Day Contests
YANGON, 13 Feb - The prize presenting ceremony of Children's Day Commemorative All-round Development Contest of Pre-Primary School Children sponsored by Maternal and Child Welfare Association of Defence Services General Hospital was held at the cinema hall of the hospital this morning.
Present on the occasion were Commandant of DSGH Col Tin Thein Lwin, Daw Khin Khin Mya, wife of Director of Medical Services Brig-Gen Mya Thein Han, Assistant Director of Social Welfare Department U Myint Thein, CEC Member of Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association (Central) Dr San Kyaw, officials and mothers and children.
Col Tin Thein Lwin and Daw Kyi Kyi Win family donated K 10,000 towards the trust fund of DSGH MCWA, U Aung Thein and Daw Aye Aye Naing family K 5,000, MMCWA 24 bottles of Johnson shampoo.
The children entertained those present with songs and dances.
Officials presented prizes to outstanding children and gifts to others.
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(7) Ambassador U Tun Ngwe presents credentials
YANGON, 14 Feb - U Tun Ngwe, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Union of Myanmar to the Kingdom of Belgium, presented his Credentials to His Majesty King Albert II, King of the Belgians, on 4 February 1998, in Brussels.
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(8) Second coord meeting on holding religious titles conferring ceremony, alms offering ceremony
YANGON, 13 Feb - The second coordination meeting on holding religious titles conferring ceremony and alms offering ceremony was held in the meeting hall of the Ministry of Religious Affairs this morning.
It was attended by Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs U Aung Khin, Director-General of Religious Affairs Department U Arnt Maung, Director-General of the Department for the Promotion and Propagation of the Sasana U Sann Lwin and officials, Secretary of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Lt-Col San Matu, the chairman of District Peace and Development Council, members of the subcommittee for organizing the ceremonies and working groups.
The deputy minister said the ceremonies will be held on a grand scale at Kaba Aye on 12 March with the sponsorship of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
He urged all to contribute to the discussions.
Head of the Office of the ministry U Maung Maung Myint read the minutes of the first meeting.
The officials of respective subcommittees reported on progress of work.
The meeting ended with concluding remarks by the deputy minister.
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(9) Picture of Phanchetwun U Shwe Oh, Maha Razawunthit books donated
YANGON, 13 Feb - Thakin San Nyunt and family of No 12, Theinni Street, Kanthaya Ward, South Chanmyathazi Myothit, Mandalay, donated a picture of Phanchetwun U Shwe Oh and Maha Razawunthit books to the Ministry of Culture at the National Museum this afternoon.
Present were Minister for Culture U Win Sein, Minister for Education U Than Aung, Deputy Minister for Culture U Soe Nyunt, Deputy Ministers for Education Dr Than Nyunt and Brig-Gen Soe Win Maung, Director-General of Department of Cultural Institute U Myint Thein Swe, Director-General of Fine Arts Department U Tin Htoo, Rector of Yangon University Dr Tin Aung Aye, U Maung Maung Tin (Maha Weikza) and historians, directors and department heads.
Thakin San Nyunt and family handed the picture and books to Minister U Win Sein.
U Win Sein presented a certificate of honour to the donors.
U Win Sein then handed the picture and books to Director of National Library U Khin Maung Tin and Librarian of Universities Central Library Daw Tin Phone Nwe.
Phanchetwun U Shwe Oh was the first ever scholar in Yadanabon Period and learnt engineering subjects in France. He got ME (Civil) degree and was awarded a medal for his excellent performance in studies.
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(10) Land survey instruments, software for Institutes of Technology
YANGON, 13 Feb - A ceremony to donate land survey instruments and software to Yangon Institute of Technology, Mandalay Institute of Technology, Defence Services Institute of Technology and Pyay Institute of Technology, which is to be opened soon, was held at Yangon Institute of Technology at 9.30 am today.
The ceremony jointly sponsored by Topcon Singapore Pte Ltd and Concordia International Ltd of Japan was attended by Deputy Minister for Science and Technology U Hlaing Win, Director-General U Kyin Soe of Advanced Science and Technology Department, rectors of respective institutes, professors, heads of departments, faculty members and officials of the Topcon Singapore Pte Ltd and Concordia International Ltd of Japan and guests.
First, Product Engineer U Aye Win Kyaw of the Topcon Singapore Pte Ltd spoke about donation of land survey instruments and software with the aid of slides. The Topcon Singapore Pte Ltd produces land survey instruments and optical survey ones.
Then, Manager of the Topcon Singapore Pte Ltd Mr S Nakamura and Managing Director Dr Than Win of the Concordia International Ltd donated the land survey instruments and software worth K 16.4 million for the Institutes of Technology through Deputy Minister for Science and Technology U Hlaing who later presented certificates of honour to them.
Rector of YIT U Nyi Hla Nge expressed thanks to all.
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(11) Border Trade Merchants Association of Kawthoung holds annual general meeting
YANGON, 13 Feb - Border Trade Merchants Association of Kawthoung held its annual general meeting at the office of the association on 10 February morning.
It was attended by Chairman of Taninthayi Division Peace and Development Council Commander Maj-Gen Thura Thiha Thura Sit Maung, Chairman of Myanmar Chamber of Commerce and Industry U Khin Maung Yi and members and officials.
The commander spoke on the occasion.
Afterwards, MCCI General Secretary U Maung Maung explained the sector of the association and tasks.
Officials of the association then presented reports including financial statements.
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