1. New hospitals begin built, level of existing hospitals begin upgraded for better public health care
2. Opening of youth development training schools in Kachin State coordinated
3. Attitude of the nationalities peace groups
4. Kachin State PDC Chairman inspects development tasks
5. Minister for F&R receives GM of Sumitomo
6. Dy CO, seven members of Lahu group exchange arms for  peace
7. Construction of Cooperative Degree College building complete
8. Minister visits drilling platform of Yetagun Of Offshore Natural Gas Project

1)   New hospitals begin built, level of existing hospitals begin upgraded for better public health care

YANGON, 22 Sept - The 26th Meeting of the National Health Committee was held in the meeting hall of Medical Research Department on Ziwaka Street in Dagon Township this afternoon, addressed by Chairman of the National Health Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt. Also present were Minister for National Planning and Economic Development Lt Soe Tha, Minister for Home affairs Col Tin Hlaing, Minister for Information Maj-Gen Kyi Aung, Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein Nyunt, Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Brig -Gen Pyi Sone, Minister for Science and Technology U Thaung, Minister for Sports Brig-Gen Sein Win, Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein, Deputy Minister for Health Dr Mya Oo, Deputy Minister for Labour U Kyaw Aye, Director of Medical Services Brig-Gen Mya Thein Han, Director-General of the Office of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Pe Nyein, Director-General of Health Planning Department Dr Kyi Soe and officials.

In his address, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt said the purpose of the meeting is to review the implementation of the projects in the National Health Plan (1496-2001).  He quoted Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than Shwe as saying that efforts are to be made to provide health services on equal terms in Mandalay, the hub of Upper Myanmar, and Yangon, the centre of Lower Myanmar.  He said in accord with that guidance, new hospitals have been built and special health care units extended in Mandalay and necessary medicine and medical equipment are being provided, and added these projects are taking shape to a remarkable extent.

He urged all to continue to implement the projects in accord with the guidance of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than Shwe, and added moreover, systematic measures are being taken for building new hospitals, upgrading the level of the existing hospitals and providing medicine and medical equipment in the States and Divisions.

It is found that the cost sharing health care programme is making progress in hospitals, he stated and therefore, it is necessary to implement that programme in other remaining townships.

Moreover, to provide efficacious medicine for needy and poor patients, the system of raising trust funds by wellwishers is being adopted in hospitals in Yangon, he said and noted success will be achieved more and more in providing health services by implementing cost-sharing health care programme and establishing trust funds.

It is necessary to carry on mosquito control activities with added momentum in every season to prevent the outbreak of such infectious diseases as malaria, filariasis and dengue hemorrhagic fever he said and called for speeding up the momentum in carrying out AIDS prevention and control activities in border areas.

Traditional medicines are being used in Myanmar, especially in rural areas, he stated and added it is required to make efforts for the further flourishing of traditional medicine.

To produce effective traditional medicines, the herbal plant nurseries are very important, he noted and said it is needed to establish the thriving herbal plant nurseries and to produce effective traditional medicines with the use of modern method and equipment.

It can be said that the condition of providing health services in Myanmar are of high standard because the number of medical practitioners is sufficient in comparison with the population of the country, and moreover, efforts are being made with added momentum in building new hospitals, up grading the level of the existing hospitals and providing medicines and medical equipment, he noted and added in giving health services to the public, wellwishers are providing necessary buildings, medicine and medical equipment in cooperation with the Government.

These days, health services can be provided to a moderate extent in rural and border areas, he said and .remarked if efforts are made in cooperation with NGOs and wellwishers , health services  can reach up to villages in far-flung areas.

Therefore, he said, it is necessary to stimulate the public awareness to health services.

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2)   Opening of youth development training schools in Kachin State coordinated

YANGON, 22 Sept - A coordination meeting on opening of more national races youth development training schools in Kachin State was held at the Ministry of Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs this morning, addressed by Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo.  Present were Minister for Commerce Maj-Gen Kyaw Than, Minister at the Office of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Brig-Gen Maung Maung, Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing, Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein Nyunt, Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Brig-Gen Pyi Sone, Officer on Special Duty at the Office of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Than Tint and heads of departments.

Director-General of Border Areas and National Races and Development Department Col Wunna Maung Lwin emceed.  The Secretary-2 said plans have been laid down and are being implemented for development of States and Divisions including far-flung areas and border areas of the national races.  Those areas were lagged in development due to insurgency after regaining independence, he said.

The government has established national reconsolidation and is making efforts to raise living standard of the national races and it is also carrying out tasks for uplift of education of the national youths by opening training schools, he said.

He said arrangements are being made to open more youth training schools and Parahita training schools in Kachin State when the situation is favourable.  Next, Minister Col Thein Nyunt reported on the schools and preparations to open them.  The ministers and officials reported on requirements and the Secretary-2 gave instructions.

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3)   Attitude of the nationalities peace groups

There have been reports that the majority of the public is worried about the danger of deteriorating peace and undermining regional stability and space after spreading of news that four groups which had made peace with the government supported the National League for Democracy's call for convening of the Hluttaw.  Hence, declarations of the peace groups will be made public to be vividly learn the situation between the peace groups and National League for Democracy and true attitude of the peace groups.  Today, a translation of the declaration of the Special Region No 5 in Shan State (North ) and a translation of the declaration of the Kachin Special Region (1) are stated as follows:

The Central Military Commission Shan/North Special Region No 5, KDA Kaungkha Myothit
Date: 18 September 1998

Subject: Attitude of the Shan/ North Special Region No 5 in connection with the NLD's (National League for Democracy) call for convening of the Hluttaw

1. The Shan/North Special Region No 5 does not accept the NLD's (National League for Democracy) call for convening of the Hluttaw. The reasons for not accepting the call are:

(a) NLD's (National League for Democracy) call for convening of the Hluttaw before drafting of the constitution is completed is illegal,
(b) the NLD's (National League for Democracy) withdrawal from the National Convention being organized with the leadership of the government constitutes hindering the process for drafting an enduring constitution,
(c) NLD (National League for Democracy) is a political party that opposes the government and as such Shan/North Special Region No 5, KDA, does not accept the call of the National League for Democracy to convene the Hluttaw.

3. Therefore, the Shan/North Special Region No 5, KDA, made peace with the government in response to the magnanimity and goodwill of the dignitaries, and it has been able to carry out the following development projects:

(a) in education, a high school has been opened in Kaungkha Myothit, a high school in Mongsi, a middle school in Hokho Village in Lwekhaung region and primary schools in many villages;
(b) in health, dispensaries have been opened in Kaungkha Myothit and villages in other regions;
(c) in transport and communications, new motor roads have been built in areas where there were no such roads in the past. A tar road has been built up to Kaungkha Myothit.

U Mahtu Naw
Chairman
Central Military Commission
Shan/North Special Region No 5
KDA

Kachin Special Region (1)  Letter No 027/98/Kachin Special Region(1)
Date: 5 September 1998

Subject: Attitude of the Kachin Special Region (1) in connection with the NLD's (National League for Democracy) call for convening of the Hluttaw

1. Kachin Special Region (1), NDA, Kachin organization, has already laid down democracy programme.

We have laid down the democracy programme based on the five points. They are: (1) to ensure durable peace, (2) to provide equality, (3) to foster unity, (4) to provide freedom; freedom of expression, freedom of faith, freedom of invention, freedom of trade and commerce and freedom shall be enjoyed according to law or freedom shall be enjoyed without infringing others' interests, (5) among the different national races, the majority national race is to safeguard the rights of minority national races.

2. Our democracy programme is totally different from the activities of the National League for Democracy.

(a) The National League for Democracy is carrying out activities alone in the forefront.
(b) It has left the National Convention.
(c) It is carrying out activities to seize power by means of opposing the government.
(d) There exists dangerous foreign interference behind it.
(e) Their activities adversely affect the stability and peace and are harmful to the economic, social, education and cultural development of the State and progress made in national consolidation.

4. We are on alert to see that losses are not to be suffered once more due to interferences of those possessed by external politics and those attempting to disunite the national races.

Za Khun Ting Ring
Chairman
Kachin Special Region (1)

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4)   Kachin State PDC Chairman inspects development tasks

YANGON, 22 Sept - Chairman of Kachin State Peace and Development Council Commander of Northern Command Maj-Gen Kyaw Win, accompanied by senior military officers and state-level officials, inspected motor road and bridges on Myitkyina-Bhamo road in Bhamo Township on 15 September.

On 16 September, Commander Maj-Gen Kyaw Win, accompanied by Brig-Gen Win Sein of Bhamo Station, Chairman of Bhamo District Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Myo Swe and officials, proceeded .to Mansi Township and inspected No 4 timber extraction area of Myanma Timber Enterprise.

The commander and party also inspected construction of Kyaikpahto-Shwegu Bhamo 66KV Power Grid in Bhamo Township. Engineering-charge U Soe Win briefed the commander on building of power station.

At 3 pm, the commander oversaw Bhamo Township Myanma Agricultural Produce Trading Office and warehouses. He then inspected the building for Parahita School, warehouse, No 2 Market and Miba Myitta rice mill in Mingon Ward.

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5)   Minister for F&R receives GM of Sumitomo

YANGON, 22 Sept - Minister for Finance and Revenue U Khin Maung Thein received General Manager Mr T Takayama and party of Sumitomo Corporation of Japan at his office at 10 am today.

Present was Governor of Central Bank of Myanmar U Kyaw Kyaw Maung.

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6)   Dy CO, seven members of Lahu group exchange arms for peace

YANGON, 22 Sept - The State Peace and Development Council is striving for national reconsolidation, upholding Our Three Main National Causes, and is implementing the 12 political economic and social objectives for emergence of a peaceful, modem and developed nation.  The Government is welcoming the persons who exchanged arms for peace. and attending to the food, clothing and shelter needs.

Realizing that their long-year destructive acts did not benefit the nation at all and understanding the genuine goodwill and correct endeavors of the government, Deputy Commanding Officer Kya Bo Shi (a)Kya Phi Khwet and seven members of Lahu armed group based in the other nation bringing together with five M-22s, seven magazines, 590 rounds of ammunition and one grenade, exchanged arms for peace at a Tatmadaw column in Mongton Township, Triangle Region Command, at 5.35 pm on 14 September.

Officials of the regional. battalion and the public extended, greetings to the group and fulfilled the requirements.

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7)   Construction of Cooperative Degree College building complete

YANGON, 22 Sept - A ceremony to offer soon to members of Sangha to mark the completion of building at Yangon Cooperatives Degree College (Thanlyin) and to hand over the building to the Cooperatives Department was held at the newly constructed building at 10 am today, attended by Minister for Cooperatives U Aung San.

Present were Director General U Maung Hti of Cooperatives Department, Managing Director Daw Khin Swe Soe of Cooperatives Export and Import Enterprise, Deputy Director General U Tin Aung of Cottage Industries Department, Principal of Yangon Cooperative Degree College U Ko Ko Aung, teachers, Commanding Officer of regional battalion Lt-Col Zaw Weik, executives of Thanlyin Township Union Solidarity and Development Association, guests and executives of construction. electronic and sewerage cooperative societies.

Minister U Aung San and dignitaries received the Five Precepts from Thanlyin Mingyaung Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Eindasara.  The minister and party donated offertories and alms to the Sayadaws.

Minister U Aung San also spoke on the occasion.  Daw Khin Nyo of Cetana Construction and General Merchandise Cooperative Society, U Cho Tu of Mogyo Electronic Cooperative Society and U Thein Aye of Natmauk Sewerage and General Engineering Cooperative Society handed over related documents of the building to Deputy Director-General U Than Aung of Cooperatives Department. The minister and party inspected a scale model of hostel for teachers to be built.

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8)   Minister visits drilling platform of Yetagun Of Offshore Natural Gas Project

YANGON, 22 Sept - Minister for Energy Brig-Gen Lun Thi, accompanied by officials, inspected Yetagun Drilling Platform of Yetagun Offshore Natural Gas Project this morning.

Drilling Manager Mr K Collins of Premier Petroleum Myanmar Ltd and Managing Director U Kyaw Nyein of Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise briefed the minister on operation of drilling machine T-8 of Yetagun Drilling Platform and Kantan 3 Derrick in the project area with the aid of maps and charts.

Well No YA-08-01 of Yetagun Drilling Platform is producing 16 million cu/feet of natural gas and about 200 barrels of condensate per day.

With the use of T-8 and Kantan 3, a total of five gas wells have been drilled so far.  According to the volume of natural gas found at the five gas wells, production of natural gas will be boosted up to 290 million cu feet per day by February 2000, although it was originally scheduled to produce 200 million cu/feet per day.

The minister gave instructions to strive for finding new deposits of natural gas.