N980412

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR
( Friday, 10 December 1999)

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Dinner hosted in honour of literary award winners
International Fashionwear Cosmetics & Consumer Product Exhibition opened
Agreement signed for implementation of hotel project in Tachilek
Year 2000 welcoming festivities begin
Secretary-3 sees off Tatmadaw soccer and volleyball teams
Ambassador of Japan hosts buckwheat dinner
Minister meets DG of Policy Research Council of LDP
Minister meets visitors from Japan
Minister meets visitors from Japan
Minister meets Ambassador of Bangladesh
Mayflower to mine antimony
Myanmar ready for Y2K problem
Bangladesh delegation concludes study visit
Voters of Toungoo Township express no confidence in two NLD representatives-elect
251 members resign from Magway Township NLD
WEATHER

(1) Dinner hosted in honour of literary award winners
YANGON, 9 Dec - Minister for Information Maj-Gen Kyi Aung hosted a dinner in honour of winners of National Literary Awards for 1998, the 10th National Mottoes, Literary and Photo Competitions prizes and Sarpay Beikman Manuscript Awards for 1998 and members of the awards scrutiny and selection committee at Karaweik Palace this evening.
It was attended by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint, ministers, Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee and Mayor, deputy ministers, senior military officers, the director-general and officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, department heads, Chairman of Myanmar Writers and Journalists Association U Kyaw Aung (Kyaw Aung), the vice-chairmen, the secretary and members of the central executive committee, members of the 1998 National Literary Awards Scrutiny and Selection Committee, the Committee for Organizing National Mottoes, Literary and Photo Competitions and the 1998 Sarpay Beikman Manuscript Awards Scrutiny and Selection Committee, award winners and guests.
After the dinner, the Secretary-1, the Secretary-3 and officials had a cordial meeting with those present.

(2) International Fashionwear Cosmetics & Consumer Product Exhibition opened
YANGON, 9 Dec - The International Fashionwear, Cosmetics & Consumer Products Exhibition '99 opened at the Tatmadaw Convention Hall this morning, attended by Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo and Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint.
Also present on the occasion were Minister for Commerce, Ministers at the Prime Minister's Office and, Deputy Minister for Commerce, senior military officers of the Ministry of Defence, diplomats of foreign missions in Yangon, heads of department, local and foreign correspondents, officials of the respective companies and invited guests.
Managing Director of Quartz International Co Ltd extended, greetings and Resident Manager of Myanmar Triumph International Ltd Mr Stefan Hansmanri, on behalf of the companies which open booths there, spoke words of thanks.
Director of Defence Services Museum and Historical Research Institute and Director of Quartz International Co Ltd formally opened exhibition.
The Secretary-2 and the Secretary-3 and party then visited the booths.
The aim of the exhibition is to widely and directly inform the people of the quality goods manufactured by the respective companies, to share and exchange experiences and technologies between local and foreign entrepreneurs, to acquire advanced international production and packaging methods and firmer markets, to enable local entrepreneurs to produce new types of advanced goods and to gain good foundations for the market-oriented economic system in building a new nation.
Seventy local, and foreign companies are; displaying various brands of textiles and clothing, cosmetics, medicines, electronic appliances, office automation and other products at the 120 booths.
The exhibition is sponsored by Quartz International Co Ltd with the assistance of Defence Services Museum and Historical Research Institute.
The exhibition opens daily from 9 am to 6 pm till 12 December. Admission is free.

(3) Agreement signed for implementation of hotel project in Tachilek
YANGON, 9 Dec - An agreement on a hotel project to be implemented by Allure Group Co Ltd of Thailand with cent-per-cent investment on the plot of Shan Yoma Guest House leased for 30 years in Ponho Ward, Tachilek, in the eastern part of Shan State, was signed at the Hotel Equatorial this evening.
The agreement signing ceremony was attended by Secretary-2 of the State Peace; and Development Council Lt-Gen.Tin Oo, ministers, the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General, deputy ministers, the Ambassador of Thailand, department heads, foreign correspondents, guests, Chairman of Allure Group Co Ltd Mr Upakit Pachariyangkun and officials of foreign companies.
Minister for Hotels and Tourism made a speech.
Mr Upakit Pachariyangkun spoke words of thanks.
Director-General of Directorate of Hotels and Tourism and General Manager and Chairman of Allure Group Co Ltd Mr Upakit Pachariyangkun and Director Mr Attawut Thaweephol signed the agreement.
Secretary of Myanmar Investment Commission presented the permit of MIC to Mr Upakit Pachariyangkun.
According to the agreement, the foreign company will invest US $ 12 million in building a hotel of international standard with 81 rooms in 24 months' time for the first phase of the project, and further investment will be made to build 140 more rooms for the second phase.
Then, a dinner was hosted for those present.

(4) Year 2000 welcoming festivities begin
YANGON, 9 Dec - Preliminary festivities welcoming the year 2000 began this evening at Myakyuntha Park on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, here, attended by Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo.
Also present on the occasion were member of the State Peace and Development Council Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command , Minister for Hotels and Tourism , Minister for Mines, Minister for Education, senior military officers of the Yangon Command, officials and invited guests.
Minister for Hotels and Tourism and Managing Director of Padonma Gems Mining Company formally opened the festivities.
Padonma Gems Mining Company explained holding of the lighting festival to mark the year 2000.
The Secretary-2 and party then looked round the lighting festival.

(5) Secretary-3 sees off Tatmadaw soccer and volleyball teams
YANGON, 9 Dec - Chairman of Defence Services Sports and Physical Education Supervisory Committee Secretary-3 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Win Myint this morning saw off Myanma Tatmadaw soccer and volleyball teams which will take part in the ASEAN Armed -Forces Friendship soccer and volleyball tourneys commemorating the 55th Anniversary Armed Forces Day of Vietnam.
Before seeing them off at Mingaladon Air Base, the Secretary-3 gave advice to members of the two contingents comprising 37 and headed by Commandant of Defence Services Self-Defence and Sports Institute Mingaladon Air Base.
Also seeing them off at the air base together with the Secretary-3 were Chief of Staff (Air), Vice-Adjutant-General, Commander of Mingaladon Air Base, officials and Military, Naval and Air Attache of the Embassy of Vietnam Senior Co I Nguyen Ngoc Lu.

(6) Ambassador of Japan hosts buckwheat dinner
YANGON, 9 Dec - Ambassador of Japan Mr Kazuo Asakai hosted a buckwheat dinner at his residence this evening.
It was attended by Minister at the State Peace and Development Council Chairman's Office Brig-Gen Abel, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs and Minister for Home Affairs.
The opium substitute buckwheat project has been implemented for three years through bilateral cooperation.
In Kokang region of the northern Shan State, buckwheat was cultivated on four acres of land in 1997 and on 200 acres in 1998; this year, buckwheat was cultivated on 2,000 acres, and buckwheat on some acres have been harvested.
Noodles made from the already-harvested buckwheat were served at the dinner.
Also present at the dinner were Director-General of the Policy Research Council of LDP of Japan Mr Tomomitsu Iwakura, Professor of Japan Buckwheat Dr Arkiyo Yugihara, Chairman of Japanese Noodle Entrepreneurs Association Mr Chogiro Ginda and 12 buckwheat merchants and the staff of the embassy.

(7) Minister meets DG of Policy Research Council of LDP
YANGON, 9 Dec - Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone met Director General of Policy Research Council of Liberal Democratic Party of Japan Mr Tomomitsu Iwakura and party who called at his office at 5 pm today.
Also present at the call were Deputy Minister and officials.

(8) Minister meets visitors from Japan
YANGON, 9 Dec - Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj - Gen Saw Lwin met hotel and tourism entrepreneurs of Japan led by President of Apex International Inc Mr Matsuoka Osamu who called at his office at 3 pm today.
Also present at the call were Deputy Minister, Director-General of Directorate of Hotels and Tourism, Managing Director of Myanma Hotels and Tourism Services and officials.

(9) Minister meets visitors from Japan
YANGON, 9 Dec - Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein met Chairman of Japan Committee " Vaccine for world's children" Mrs Kayoko Hesokawa and party who called at his office at 2 pm today.
Also present at the call were Deputy Minister Professor and officials.

(10) Minister meets Ambassador of Bangladesh
YANGON, 9 Dec- Minister at the State Peace and Development Council Chairman's Office Brig-Gen Abel met Ambassador of Bangladesh Mr Jahangir Saadat, who had completed his tour of duty, at his office at 2 pm today.
Also present at the call were officials concerned.

(11) Mayflower to mine antimony
YANGON, 9 Dec - The Ministry of Mines has agreed today to permit Mayflower Mining Enterprise Ltd to extract antimony ore in Mandalay Division, Shan State and Kayah State on production sharing basis.
After an inaugural speech by Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint, Managing Director of No 3 Mining Enterprise U Hsan Tun and Managing Director of the company U Kyaw Win signed the contract at the ministry.
Secretary of Myanmar Investment Commission Brig-Gen Maung Maung gave the MIC permit and Minister Brig-Gen Ohn Myint the work permit to U Kyaw Win.

(12) Myanmar ready for Y2K problem
YANGON 9 Dec -The National Committee for Supervising Y2K Problem announced that it has
already cleared off the Y2K problem in Myanmar.
With the cooperation of the Japanese experts and the respective ministries, the committee and its three sub-ordinate bodies have solved all the Y2K problems and declared "Ready for Y2K" with the announcement dated 30 November.

(13) Bangladesh delegation concludes study visit
YANGON 9 Dec - The study delegation led by Maj-Gen A.M Mansur Ahmed of Defence Services Command and Staff College of Bangladesh left here by air this morning at the end of its visit.
The delegation was seen off at Yangon International Airport by Commandant of Command and General Staff College Brig-Gen Soe Tint, Deputy Director of Military Training and military officers, Military Attache of Bangladesh Brig Nasiruddin Sarwar and the embassy staff.

(14) Voters of Toungoo Township express no confidence in two NLD representatives-elect
YANGON, 9 Dec - Over 36,824 eligible voters of Toungoo Township Constituency 1, Bago Division, submitted signed declarations expressing no confidence in U Aung Soe Myint who was elected as PyithuHluttaw Representative of National League for Democracy in the 1990 Multiparty Democracy General Election from Toungoo Township Constituency 1 and no support for him at the rally held at Kyungon Village in the township on 24 November.
A total of 13,000 local people from 33 village-tracts and wards attended the rally.
U Tun Naing of Kyungon Village, on behalf of the voters presented the signed declarations expressing no confidence in U Aung Soe Myint and no support for him to member of the Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Sub-Commission U Kyaw Win.
Of the total of 54,044 eligible voters, 21,369 voters or 39.54 percent of Toungoo Township Constituency 1 of Bago Division voted for U Aung Soe Myint of NLD in 1990 Multiparty Democracy General Election.
The number of voters who presented signed declarations.expressing no confidence in U Aung Soe Myint and no support for him totalled 36,824 or 68.07 percent.
Similarly, over 34,384 eligible voters of Toungoo Township Constituency 2, Bago Division, submitted signed declarations expressing no confidence in U Nyunt Wai who was elected as Pyithu Hluttaw Representative of National League for Democracy in the 1990 Multiparty Democracy General Election from Toungoo Township Constituency 2 and no support for him at the rally held in the gymnasium in Ward 20 in the township on 24 November.
A total of 11,700 local people from 25 village-tracts and wards attended the rally U Pyone Maung of Putsu Village, on behalf of the voters presented the signed declarations expressing no confidence in U Nyunt Wai and no support for him to Chairman of the Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Sub-Commission U Ngwe San.
Of the total of 55,749 eligible voters, 20,401 voters or 36.59 per cent of Toungoo Township Constituency 2 of Bago Division voted for U Nyunt Wai of NLD in 1990 Multiparty Democracy General Election.
The number of voters who presented signed declarations expressing no confidence in U Nyunt Wai and no support for him totalled 34,384 or 61.68 percent.

(15) 251 members resign from Magway Township NLD
YANGON, 9 Dec - A ceremony to present letters of resignation of 251 members of Magway Township National League for Democracy, Magway Division, was held at the meeting hall of Magway Township Multiparty Democracy General Election Sub-Commission Office at 10.05 am on 29 November 1999.
Two hundred and fifty-one members of Magway Township NLD, Magway Division, of their own volition, resigned by sending letters of resignation to the party concerned on 29 November 1999 as they no longer wished to participate in party politics of NLD.
Member of Magway Township NLD U Kyaw Myint, on behalf of the party members, explained matters about resignation from the party. Member of the party U Kyi Hlaing handed over the letters of resignation to Chairman of Township Multiparty Democracy- General Election Sub-commission U Mya Than.

(16) WEATHER
Maximum temperature on Dec 8 was 32.5 C (91F)
Minimum temperature on Dec 9 was 20.5 C(69F)
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