( 1 ) Commander-in-Chief (Army) General Maung Aye receives Chinese delegation

Yangon, 12 March-Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) General Maung Aye received the visiting Chinese goodwill delegation led by Executive Vice-Chairman and Member of the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Chinese Association for International Understanding Mr Li Chengren at Zeyathiri Beikman Tatmadaw Hall, Konemyinttha, here at 9 am today.

Also present at the call were Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Military Affairs Lt-Gen Tin Hla, Member of State Peace and Development Council Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Brig-Gen Khin Maung, Director-General of Protocol Department Thura U Aung Htet and Ambassador of China to Myanmar Mr Li Jinjun.

Secretary-1 meets Malaysian Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister

Yangon, 12 March-Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt received a delegation led by Minister of Culture, Arts and Tourism Dato Abdul Kadir Bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir at the Guest House of Ministry of Defence at 5.10 pm today. Also present on the occasion together with the Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt were Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung, Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj-Gen Saw Lwin, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win and Director General Thura U Aung Htet of Protocol Dapartment.

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( 2 )Secretary-3 inspects drills of military columns marching from Myoma Grounds to Resistance Park

Yangon, 12 March- Chairman of the Leading Committee for Observance of the 56th Anniversary Armed Forces Day Ceremony for 2001 Secretary-3 of the State Peace and Development Council Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Win Myint inspected the drills of military columns of the 56th Anniversary Armed Forces Day Parade marching from Myoma Grounds to the Resistance Park this morning.

At 5.45 am, Secretary-3 Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Win Myint arrived at the Myoma Grounds. Secretary-3 Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Win Myint, together with Chairman of the Management Committee for Observance of the 56th Anniversary Armed Forces Day Ceremony Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than, Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Maj-Gen Sein Htwa, Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing, Chairman of the Parade Working Committee Chief of Armed Forces Training Maj-Gen Win Myint, Chairman of the Best Company Selection and Prize Presentation Working Committee Vice-Adjutant-General Brig-Gen Maung Nyo, Chairman of the Security Working Committee Deputy Commander Hsan Hsint, Director of Military Training Brig-Gen Aung Kyi, Commandant of Defence Services (Army) Officers Training School Brig-Gen Kyaw Thu, Deputy Director-General of Myanmar Police Force Brig-Gen Hla Tun, Chief of Staff (Police) Police Brig-Gen Zaw Win, senior military officers and officials inspected drills on marching of military columns led by Parade Commander Brig-Gen Saw Hla Min and Reserve Parade Commander Col Hla Tun from Myoma Grounds to the Resistance Park and back to Myoma Grounds. Then, Secretary-3 Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Win Myint met the Parade Commander, the Reserve Parade Commander, column commanders, commanding officers and company commanders at the Resistance Park and gave instructions on uplift of parade standard, military discipline, welfare tasks, administration, supply and transport matters.

Lt-Gen Win Myint left the park at 8.15 am. Tatmadawmen of Anawrahta, Kansittha, Bayintnaung, Nawade, Aungzeya, Hsinbyushin, Bandoola, Myawady and Aung San columns participated in today's drills in accordance with the parade aganda till 10 am.

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( 3 ) Dialogue session held between Malaysian Minister of Culture, Arts and Tourism and Myanmar media and travel trade

Malaysia's prosper-thy-neighbour policy stressed

Yangon, 12 March - Minister of Culture, Arts and Tourism of Malaysia Mr Dato Abdul Kadir bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir had a dialogue session with Myanmar media and travel trade at the Traders Hotel at 11 am today.

Also present were Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj-Gen Saw Lwin, Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Aye Myint Kyu, Director-General of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism U Khin Maung Latt and officials, Managing Director of News and Periodicals Enterprise U Tin Kha, Director-General of the Information and Public Relations Department U Chit Naing, Director (News) of NPE U Hla Tun and officials, Ambassador of Malaysia Dato Mohamad bin Noh, Chief Editor of The New Light of Myanmar U Maung Maung Aye, Chief Editor of Myanma News Agency (Internal) U Win Tin, Chief Editor of City News U Soe Myint, members of Myanmar Foreign Correspondents Club, tour operators from Myanmar and Malaysia. Minister Dato Abdul Kadir bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir said that it is his first visit to Myanmar.

He is very really glad to have a chance of visiting such a beautiful country, and potentially, it is going to be a very rich country in South-East Asian region. He has visited Bagan, the city of the First Myanmar Kingdom, Mandalay, the seat of Myanmar monarch, Kawthoung, the southernmost point of Myanmar, and Myeik, a beautiful town. Myanmar traditional food is very fabulous. Myanmar is a full member of ASEAN. ASEAN is truly an area of about half a billion people. ASEAN is going to be one big happy family.

For example, by the year 2003, almost 90% of goods of ASEAN countries will be free of tax. The tax on remaining 10 per cent will be very nominal. AFTA will emerge. The immigration problems between the countries will be slowly, relaxed. It is a matter of time that there will be free flow of goods of travel between the countries. If there is no more customs at the border, there will be free flow across the border. He said that when he has studied the map of the world again and again, ASEAN is the most beautiful region in the world.

In terms of culture, geography, agriculture and features, ASEAN region is the most beautiful region in the world. When the tourism ministers of ASEAN met in January, an agreement on two things was reached. the first one is to encourage intra-ASEAN travels.

The second is to join forces in encouraging the people of other countries to visit ASEAN region. A campaign on Visit ASEAN Year will be launched next year. It aims at encouraging the people of the world to visit ASEAN, no matter wherever they pay a visit in ASEAN region. He added that his visit to Myanmar is to implement these two things; this means to find ways and means for encouraging the travel between Myanmar and Malaysia. He said that now he has seen temples, rivers and islands, etc in Myanmar, he is going to tell Malaysia travel operators that they should establish contact with travel operators in Yangon, Mandalay and elsewhere to sell packages in Malaysia so that more and more Malaysians will visit Myanmar in the spirit of the agreement achieved among ASEAN tourism ministers; Myanmar should also launch tourism promotion in Malaysia.

He said that his ministry and his government will do everything possible to facilitate the tourism promotion of Myanmar in Malaysia; he will give cooperation because they want to encourage more and more Malaysians to visit not only Myanmar but also other ASEAN countries; the first one is to encourage domestic tourism; the second is to encourage the visit to far-away places in the world; going on tour or going on holiday is necessary in life; visits should be paid to nearby places, and even to neighbouring nations if one can; if travel operators from Myanmar go and work hard in Malaysia, a lot of Malaysians will come and visit Myanmar; the economy of Myanmar will improve.

He said that yesterday, he discussed with his counter- part Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj-Gen Saw Lwin, the minister said that there is an arrangement to allow Myanmar people to go abroad for holiday; the policy of Malaysia is prosper-thy-neighbour policy; any country should try as much as possible to make the neighbouring country prosper because if all the countries prosper, every country can give help.

In response to the questions put by local and foreign journalists and Malaysian businessmen, Minister Maj-Gen Saw Lwin said that for outbound tourists, there are only pilgrim tours. Most of the businessmen are visiting all the countries like EU countries, and mostly ASEAN countries. Preparations are being made to enable Myanmar outbound tourists to visit the People's Republic of China and ASEAN member countries. Concerning high prices of package tours to Myanmar, Director-General of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism U Khin Maung Latt said most of the airlines can provide very low prices because they may be from Europe or the US or Canada to Bangkok or some other countries like Malaysia, Singapore and some other ASEAN countries. They can provide very low prices because they are long hauls; for Myanmar, they cannot; all the airlines in Myanmar are operating only for short hauls, like from KL to Yangon, from Singapore to Yangon, and from Bangkok to Yangon; hotel prices here are at the moment very low, and all the food and restaurants are cheaper than those in some other countries. Mandalay International Airport has already been opened, and airlines from far-away countries can have direct flights, and airfare can be reduced, and travel can be made at reasonable prices. Then, the dialogue session ended in the afternoon.

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( 4 )  Cruiseliner Ms Delphin arrives

Yangon, 12 March-Cruiseliner Ms Delphin with 423 tourists on board arrived at Bo Aung Kyaw Jetty at 8.45 am today. The tour programme was arranged by Sunbird Tours under cooperation of Ministry of Hotels and Tourism and Ministry of Transport. Deputy Minister for Transport U Pe Than, Managing Director U Thein Htay of Myanma Port Authority and officials of Ministry of Hotels and Tourism attended to the needs there. Majority of the tourists were German and they toured Yangon, Bagan, Bago and Twantay in groups today. They will tour Yangon tomorrow morning.

Closing date for entries of ASEAN Photo Competition

Yangon, 12 March- The ASEAN Photo Competition will be held nation-wide with the aims of arousing the interest of peoples of ASEAN member nations in the goal and working programmes of the association. The competition will cover four titles: A Concert of Southeast Asian Nations, A Partnership in Dynamic Development, A Community of Caring Societies and An Outward Looking ASEAN. Invitation has been issued to send entries to U Than Tun, Acting Director of Information and Public Relations Department, 22/24, Pansodan Street, not later than at 4 pm on 28 February. However, some ASEAN nations have reported that the closing acceptance of photo entries is to be changed for the ASEAN Photo Competition and Exhibition with the view to ensuring participation of competitors in time. Hence, the closing acceptance of photo entries was extended till 4 pm on 31 May 2001 instead of 28 February 2001.

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( 5 ) Minister meets Malaysian Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister

Yangon, 12 March-Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj-Gen Saw Lwin received Minister of Culture, Arts and Tourism Dato Abdul Kadir bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir of Malaysia and party at his office at 3 pm today. Also present on the occasion were Deputy Minister for Hotels and Tourism Brig-Gen Aye Myint Kyu, Ambassador of Malaysia Dato Muhammad bin Noh, directors-general and managing directors of departments and enterprises under the ministry.

Minister meets officials of SEA Region Human Trafficking Elimination

Yangon, 12 March-Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Maj-Gen Sein Htwa received a delegation of South-East Asia Region Human Trafficking Elimination ASEAN-Australia Project Identification Mission (PIM) led by Dr Michael Dalton at Mya Yeik Nyo Royal Hotel this evening.

Also present at the call were Director-General U Sit Myaing of Social Welfare Department, Director-General U Myint Tun of Fire Services Department, Director-General U Than Oo of Relief and Resettlement Department, Vice-Chairperson of Myanmar National Working Committee for Women's Affairs Professor Daw May May Yi, member Professor Daw Khin Aye Win and officials.

Then, Minister Maj-Gen Sein Htwa hosted a dinner in honour of the delegation at the hotel. Also present at the dinner were Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win, Director-General U Aye Lwin of ASEAN Affairs Department, Ambassador of Australia Mr Trevor David Wilson, Vice-Chairperson of MNWCWA Prof Daw May May Yi, member Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe and officials. The delegation also called on Prof Daw May May Yi and Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe at the Women's Development Centre.

Economic seminar between Myanmar-Korea held

Yangon, 12 March-An economic seminar between Indochina Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Korea and Myanmar Economic entrepreneurs sponsored by Commercial Department of Korean Embassy, was held at Hotel Equatorial on Alanpya Pagoda Road this morning. Present were Ambassador of Korea Mr Chung Jung-Gum and Commercial Counsellor Mr Kim Jae-Chan. Representatives of nine companies of Indochina Chamber of Commerce and 37 textile companies of Myanmar discussed matters on textile, garment and leather goods.

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( 6 ) Chinese delegation visits MITT, National Indoor Stadium-1, Shwedagon Pagoda

Yangon, 12 March- A Chinese goodwill delegation led by Executive Vice-Chairman and Member of the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Chinese Association for International Understanding Mr Li Chengren, currently here at the invitation of Secretary-3 of the State Peace and Development Council member of the Panel of Patrons of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (Central) Lt-Gen Win Myint, accompanied by member of Central Executive Committee of USDA U Khin Maung, visited Myanmar International Terminals Thilawa this morning. Managing Director U Myint Thaung of MITT and officials welcomed them. In the briefing hall, Managing Director U Myint Thaung explained facts about MITT. On arrival at Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium1 in Thingangyun Township, they were welcomed by USDA CEC member Minister for Sports Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint, Director-General U Thaung Htaik of Sports and Physical Education Department and officials. At the hall, Minister Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint extended greetings and explained facts about the National Indoor Stadium-1. After that, the guests visited Shwedagon Pagoda.

Malaysian minister tours Taninthayi Division

Yangon, 12 March-The Malaysian delegation led by Minister for Culture, Arts and Tourism Dato Abdul Kadir bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir, accompanied by Deputy Minister for Hotels and Tourism Brig-Gen Aye Myint Kyu and officials, toured Taninthayi Division from 8 to 11 March. The minister and party, on 8 March, visited Kawthoung Motel, Thahtay Kyun Resort Hotel and islands where Salon people live. They toured St Mathew and St Lewis islands, Majaung Galet village, Lanpi island, island No 60 and Wa Alae island on 9 March. They made study tours to Dawme island, cluster of Myeik islands, Taninthayi Division Peace and Development Council office and studied production of fish and prawn at Myeik Industrial Zone on 10 March. The minister and party arrived back here by air at 10 am on 11 March.

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( 7 )  Minister for A & I inspects irrigation projects in Ayeyawady Division

Yangon, 12 March-Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin yesterday inspected construction of Kunchaung-2 Dam on Alon (North) Creek near Tatkon Village in Kyangin Township in Ayeyawady Division. At the briefing hall, the Director of Construction-2 of Irrigation Department reported on tasks to be undertaken. The minister discussed position of creeks in Myanaung and Kyangin Townships, water supply and dam projects in the west bank of Ayeyawady River. He also gave instructions on tasks to be undertaken, canal systems, type of crops to be cultivated.

The minister was conducted round the site by the officials. The minister and Chairman of Hinthada District Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Win Htain went to the site of Ma Mya Dam Project. The minister discussed type of crops, cultivation of quality strains, provision of cultivation methods, cultivation of crops that can fetch good prices, long staple cotton, sesamum and sugarcane. The minister and party inspected canals of Nankathu Dam and summer paddy cultivation. The minister also inspected cultivation of summer paddy and sesamum by pumping water from Duya lake in Duya Village in Hinthada Township.

Minister inspects warehouses, rice mill in Nyaungdon, Danubyu

Yangon, 12 March- Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone, accompanied by officials, arrived at Myoma Warehouse of Myanma Agricultural Produce Trading in Nyaungdon on 11 March. The minister inspected the warehouse and gave instructions on transport of crops to shelters in time, minimizing loss and wastage and systematic storage. In Danubyu, the minister and party went to No 612 100-ton Rice Mill and heard reports on rice milling, purchasing and storage. Then, the minister inspected rice milling and systematic storage of rice.

Rakhine State WCWA office, Sittway Township MCWA delivery room open

Yangon, 12 March- A new office of Rakhine State Working Committee for Women's Affairs built at a cost of K 5.508 million and a delivery room of Sittway Township Maternal and Child Welfare Association constructed at a cost of K 3.3 million were opened in Sittway this morning. Present on the occasion were member of Myanmar National Working Committee for Women's Affairs Vice-Chairperson of MMCWA Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe, advisers, Chairman of Rakhine State Peace and Development Council Commander of Western Command Maj-Gen Aung Htwe, Patron of Rakhine State MCWA Daw Khin Hnin Wai and officials.

Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe and Daw Khin Hnin Wai formally opened the office and the delivery room. Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe and party then inspected the office and the delivery room. Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe presented school equipment for day-care schools of Sittway Township and Western Command MCWA to Daw Khin Hnin Wai. Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe and officials accepted K 100,000 each donated by Border Area Immigration Inspection Control Headquarters, local intelligence units, Malikha Co, YaungniU Co, Koro Co and Miko Co, K 500,000 by U Sein Win and group, K 6.5 million by Rakhine State Peace and Development Council, K 2 million by U Bo Thein of Inpaukwa Co, K 1.5 million by Dr Kyaw Thein, K 1.4 million by U Aung Naing Win of Koro Co and K 355,000 by 14 wellwishers .

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( 8 ) 490 gem merchants arrive

Yangon, 12 March-A total of 490 gem merchants-302 from 143 companies of 13 countries and 188 from 76 local companies-arrived here to attend the 38th Myanma Gems Emporium at Myanma Gems Mart on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road today. The merchants viewed the gems and jewellery on display at the emporium from 9 am to 5 pm. More gem merchants will arrive here tomorrow and view the items at the emporium.

Homage paid to Shwehtidawgyi of Kyaikhtiyoe Pagoda

Yangon, 12 March-Devotees and members of the Sangha today crowded at the Chanthagyi hall on Shwedagon Pagoda platform, where the Seinbudaw, Hngetmyatnadaw and Shwehtidawgyi to be installed atop the Sandawshin Kyaikhtiyoe Pagoda are kept for public homage till 16 March. Devotees are donating cash and jewellery for Kyaikhtiyoe Pagoda, and 191 devotees donated K 2,622,940 and 248 kinds of jewellery on 11 March.

Consecration ceremony of Bagan pagoda No 718 held

Yangon, 12 March-The consecration ceremony of Bagan Pagoda No 718, Asawlat Temple, in Bagan was held at the pagoda platform on 10 March morning. Myanmar Ambassador U Hla Maung and wife Daw Thanda Khin of Bangkok and Myanmar families in Thailand donated K 2 m for the renovation of the pagoda. The congregation received the Five Precepts from Thatbinnyukyaung Sayadaw Bhaddantananinda, and members of the Sangha recited parittas. Ambassador U Hla Maung and donors presented offertories to the members of the Sangha. Then the merits gained were shared.

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