THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR

(Friday, 6 March 1998)

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  1. Senior General Than Shwe sends felicitations to Republic of Ghana
  2. Prime Minister of Malaysia and wife to pay official visit to Myanmar
  3. Senior General urges USDA executives to strive to become leaders in respective regions, abide by code of conduct
  4. Offering soon to religious title recipient Sayadaws nuns at Tatmadaw Dhammayon discussed
  5. Secretary-1 receives Special Envoy of Prime Minister of Malaysia
  6. SRV Minister and delegation visit Shwedagon, Myanma Gems Museum, Defence Services Museum
  7. MIC Chairman receives President of Daiwa Institute of Research
  8. London-Myanmar Open commences
  9. Minister visits 35th Myanma Gems Emporium
  10. FD urged to give priority on combating illegal logging
  11. Yangon to get 20,000 more CDMA lines

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(1) Senior General Than Shwe sends felicitations to Republic of Ghana

YANGON, 6 Mar - Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Flight Lieutenant (Retired) Jerry John Rawlings, President of the Republic of Ghana, on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Ghana which falls on 6 March 1998.

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(2) Prime Minister of Malaysia and wife to pay official visit to Myanmar

YANGON, 6 Mar - At the invitation of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council and Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar His Excellency Senior General Than Shwe and Daw Kyaing Kyaing, the Prime Minister of Malaysia His Excellency Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad and Datin Seri Dr Siti Hasmah Haji Mohamad Ali will pay an Official Visit to the Union of Myanmar in the near future.

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(3) Senior General urges USDA executives to strive to become leaders in respective regions, abide by code of conduct

YANGON, 5 Mar - Patron of the Union Solidarity and Development Association Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe delivered an address at the concluding ceremony of the Management Course No 13 for USDA Executives at Pyidaungsu Hall of the Central Public Relations Unit, Hmawby, Yangon Division, this morning.

Also present were members of the Panel of Patrons of USDA Vice-Chairman of State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) General Maung Aye, Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Secretary-2 Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint and members of the Council, Deputy Prime Ministers Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin and Lt-Gen Tin Tun, ministers, the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General, the Chairman of Civil Service Selection and Training Board, the acting Auditor-General, of the Central Panel of Patrons and Central Executive Committee of USDA, deputy ministers, senior officers of the Ministry of Defence, directors-general and managing directors of departments and enterprises, specially invited guests, Course-in-Charge Lt-Col Aung Kyi Tun and course supervisors.

EXCERPTS

USDA executives have to carry out organizational task which is pivotal for USDA, and organize the public whenever they get time so that the entire people will understand the importance of and uphold Our Three Main National Causes.

The depth and width of the cultures of all national races must be named collectively as Myanma cultural heritage.

All USDA members must possess good qualities, keep code of conduct to become reliable leaders in respective regions.

Must shoulder the noble and extensive national political duty and safeguard it as their soul and build national unity in their respective roles.

Government believes that the USDA executive youths will become brilliant and valiant organizers discharging duties in the interest of the public in future.

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(4) Offering soon to religious title recipient Sayadaws nuns at Tatmadaw Dhammayon discussed

YANGON, 5 Mar - A coordination meeting on offering soon to the religious title recipient Sayadaws and nuns, at Tatmadaw Dhammayon was held at Tatmadaw Dhamrnayon on Arzani Road in Bahan Township this morning, attended by Secretary-1 of . the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.

Also present were member of the State Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than, Minister for Religious, Affairs, Maj-Gen Sein Htwa, Deputy Minister U Aung Khin, senior officers of the Ministry of Defence, Director-General of the State Peace and Development Council Office Lt-Col Pe Nyein, departmental heads and officials.

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(5) Secretary-1 receives Special Envoy of Prime Minister of Malaysia

YANGON, 5 Mar - Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt received Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Malaysia Mr Tan Sri Ahmad Kamil Jaafar and party at Dagon Yeiktha of the Ministry of Defence at 11 am today.

Present also were Minister for Foreign Affairs U Ohn Gyaw and Director-General of Protocol Department Thura U Aung Htet.

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(6) SRV Minister and delegation visit Shwedagon, Myanma Gems Museum, Defence Services Museum

YANGON, 5 Mar - The visiting Minister of Industry of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Dr Dang Vu Chu and delegation, accompanied by Ambassador of SRV Mr Nguyen Dang Khoa and Managing Director of Myanmar Fritz Werner Co Ltd U Than Tun, visited the Shwedagon Pagoda this morning.

They were welcomed there by member of the Board of Trustees U Khin Maung Myint and officials.

The minister signed in the visitor's book and donated US $300 to the pagoda funds.

The minister then viewed renovation of Southern Stairway of the pagoda.

They proceeded to Defence Services Museum where they were welcomed by Deputy of Defence Services Museum and Historical Research Lt-Col Khin Maung Kyi and Managing Director of Technical Services U Ye Tun.

The delegation also visited the National Museum at 10 am today where Deputy Director-General of Cultural Institute Department U Kyaw Win conducted them round the museum.

The visiting Minister Dr Dang Vu Chu and delegation called on Minister at the Office of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Secretary of Myanmar Investment Commission Brig-Gen Maung Maung at his office at 11 am today.

The delegation arrived at Myanmar Pharmaceutical Industry in Insein Township at 1 pm today.

They were welcomed there Deputy Minister for Industry-1 Col Than Zin and officials.

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(7) MIC Chairman receives President of Daiwa Institute of Research

YANGON, 5 Mar - Deputy Prime Minister Chairman of Myanmar Investment Commission Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin received President of Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd Mr Sakae Tanaka and party at his office at 11.30 am today.

Present also were Governor of Central Bank of Myanmar U Kyaw Kyaw Maung, officials of Government's Office and office of the Myanmar Investment Commission.

They discussed future tasks of Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd Development for monetary market and propagation for computer technology in Myanmar.

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(8) London-Myanmar Open commences

YANGON, 5 Mar - London-Myanmar Open golf tournament co-sponsored by Myanmar Golf Federation and Asian Professional Golfers Association (APGA) commenced at Bagan Resort Golf Club in Bagan, Mandalay Division, this morning.

Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Brig-Gen Khin Maung, Chairman of London-Myanmar Open Organizing Leading Committee MGF President Brig-Gen Win Hlaing, local authorities, officials and guests were among the spectators.

Today's top ten are Robert Huxtable of the United States with 67 strokes, Boonchu Ruangkit of Thailand with 67, Simon Yates of Scotland with 69, Carlos Espinosa of Mexico with 69, Greg Hanrauan of the United States with 69, Thammanoon Sriroj of Thailand with 70, Prayad Marksacng of Thailand with 70, Gerry Norquist of the United States with 70, Taimur Hussain of Pakistan with 70 and Jerry Smith of the United States with 70.

The tournament continues tomorrow.

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(9) Minister visits 35th Myanma Gems Emporium

YANGON, 5 Mar - Patron of Myanma Gems Emporium Central Committee Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint visited the 35th Myanma Gems Emporium being held at Myanma Gems Emporium Hall this afternoon.

He was welcomed there by Chairman of MGECC Deputy Minister for Mines U Myint Thein, Secretary Managing Director of Myanma Gems Enterprise U Khin Oo and officials.

A total of 375 gems merchants-239 of 161 foreign companies from seven nations and 136 of 59 local gems companies are attending it.

Jade lots will be sold by competitive bidding from 9 am to 5 pm tomorrow.

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(10) FD urged to give priority on combating illegal logging

YANGON, 5 Mar - Minister for Forestry U Aung Phone yesterday urged officials of Forest Department to give priority to the work combating illegal logging and trafficking.

Personnel at different levels will face severe punishment for failure to seize illegal logs or gather information on illegal logging, he said at his meeting with district level officials of FD at the department.

He also suggested means to set up teak and other forest plantations as targeted and to establish forest land outside reserve areas to effectively conserve watershed areas.

Myanmar Timber Enterprise should draw work plans and should work within the framework of the plans to meet the targets, he stressed, urging FD to render assistance.

Deputy Minister Col Thaik Tun, heads of departments and other officials were also present.

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(11) Yangon to get 20,000 more CDMA lines

YANGON, 5 Mar - Myanma Posts and Telecommunications and Ucom International (Singapore) have agreed to install 20,000 more CDMA radio telephone lines in Yangon to boost the city's local and international direct dialing IDD capacity. CDMA like auto-radio system can make direct dialing to towns in Myanmar with auto-exchange stations and abroad.

Managing Director of MPT Col Maung Maung Tin and Vice-President of Ucom Mr Herbert William Gledhill signed the contract this morning at Post and Telegraph Training School in the presence of Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraphs Brig-Gen Win Tin and officials.

Under the contract the Singaporean company will supply CDMA equipment manufactured by Qualcomm Inc (USA) of America.

Another 3,000 CDMA lines are being installed in Yangon under the agreement reached in 26 August 1996.

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