( 1 )  Wushu athletes urged to strive with zeal, firm determination and national spirit to win more medals in international competitions
Secretary-1 honours athletes who won medals in Sixth World Wushu Championships and XXI Southeast Asia Games

Yangon, 20 Dec- The eighth anniversary of Myanmar Wushu Federation was marked in conjunction with ceremony to honour athletes who won medals in Sixth World Wushu Championships and XXI Southeast Asian Games. Chairman of Myanmar National Olympic Council Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt delivered an address at the ceremony which was held at Traders Hotel at 6.30 pm today.

The Myanmar Wushu teams won three gold, one silver and two bronze in the Sixth World Wushu Championships held in Armenia in November 2001 and three gold, two silver and four bronze in 2001 XXI SEA Games held in Malaysia in September this year. Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary-1, on behalf of the State, honoured the president and officials of MWF for success of its task and Wushu athletes for winning medals in the international competitions. He said the State is striving to promote the nation's sports standard in accord with the motto Myanmar sports: the world to conquer. In addition to the State's leadership and encouragement, active contribution of the public and close supervision of officials, financial assistance is also required to promote the national sports standard. Moreover, the athletes themselves should undergo training and compete with full sportsmanship, patriotism and unyielding spirit to bring honour to the nation.

At present, the government is fulfilling the requirements to raise the national sports standard, and the material and financial assistance of the people and emergence of the sponsors have also led to fulfilling the requirements. Such favourable conditions have led to fulfilling the requirements of sports development such as provision of international level training and sports equipment, hiring of coaches from countries that are leading in the particular sports events and sending of Myanmar athletes abroad to gain experience. Thus, Myanmar's Wushu sports has begun to improve in a short period and won medals in the international competitions. He elaborated on the accomplishments of the MWF, saying, founded in November 1993, it started to take part in regional and international Wushu contests beginning 1995; it won the first gold medal in 1997 XIX Southeast Asia Games; the Myanmar Wushu team won six silver medals in 2000 XX SEA Games and three gold, two silver and four bronze in 2001 XXI SEA Games. The Myanmar Wushu team took the ninth position in the Fourth World Wushu Championships held in Rome, Italy, in 1997.

The Myanmar team won three gold, one silver, two bronze and two second-grade world-class certificates in the Sixth World Wushu Championships held in Armenia this year. Myanmar won the fifth place in the medal standings at the championships in which 43 countries took part. It can be said that a significant success was achieved there. Due to these successes, President of MWF U Khin Maung Lay and officials and Wushu athletes were honoured here. The federation should strive in accord with its honourable aim to win medals in the Wushu event at the Beijing Olympic. The medalists and new generation Wushu athletes should also strive with zeal and firm determination and national spirit to win more medals at the international competitions.

In conclusion, he wished the MWF officials to strive to further raise the nation's sports standard and the athletes to strive to win medals again and again in the international sports meets as the good sons and daughters of the nation. MWF President U Khin Maung Lay spoke words of thanks. Gold medalist Ma Swe Swe Thant presented K 100,000 to the federation through U Khin Maung Lay. A video documentary 'Ein-met Yaungchi Myu-thaw Myanmar Ei-Wushu' (Dreams of Myanmar Wushu come true) honouring the athletes was shown at the ceremony. Afterwards, a dinner was hosted. Also present were member of the State Peace and Development Council Adjutant-General Maj-Gen Thein Sein, ministers, the Yangon mayor, members of MNOC, members of Myanmar Olympic Committee, deputy ministers, leading patrons of Myanmar Women's Sports Federation, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, heads of department, officials of sports federations, managers and coaches, officials of MWF, medalist Wushu athletes and guests.

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( 2 )  Secretary-1 sees off foreign military attaches and their families

Yangon, 20 Dec- Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Chief of Military Intelligence Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and responsible personnel saw off foreign military attaches and their families, who are going to make an excursion of Central Command region and North-West Command region, at Yangon International Airport this morning. The excursion group was headed by Head of Department of the Office of Military Intelligence Col Thein Swe and Dean of Diplomatic Corps to Myanmar and Lao People's Democratic Republic Defence Attachˇ Col Phanh Sonephachanh.

( 3 )  Minister U Aung Thaung receives PRC guests

Yangon, 20 Dec- Minister for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung received Deputy General Manager of CMC Complete Equipment & Engineering I/E Company, CMC group of the People's Republic of China Mr Liu Zhongjun and party at his office on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road at 2 pm today. Also present on the occasion were Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Kyaw Win, the directors-general and the managing directors of the departments and enterprises under the ministry.

Minister for Commerce meets Indian counterpart

Yangon, 20 Dec- Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone met Minister of Commerce and Industry of India Mr Rajeev Pratap Rudy and party, accompanied by Ambassador of India to Myanmar Vivek Katju, at his office at 5.30 pm today. Also present at the call were Deputy Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan, Director-General of Directorate of Trade U Nyunt Aye, Managing Director of Myanma Agricultural Produce Trading U Min Hla Aung, Deputy Director-General of Border Trade Department U Thein Lwin and departmental officials.

( 4 ) Forestry Minister meets officials of the ministry

Yangon, 20 Dec- Minister for Forestry U Aung Phone met with officials of departments and enterprises under the Ministry of Forestry at the Head Office of Myanma Timber Enterprise this afternoon and gave instructions on work being carried out and future tasks. Present at the meeting were the directors-general and the managing directors of the Planning and Statistics Department, the Forest Department, Myanma Timber Enterprise, the Survey Department and the Arid Zone Greening Department under the Ministry of Forestry, the advisers and officials, the deputy directors, the assistant general managers and others.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that 67.12 million saplings were planted by the Forest Department, the Arid Zone Greening Department and the public this year, and under the guidance of the Head of State, the Ministry of Forestry will grow Thitseint trees according to the five-year plan running from 2002 to 2006 to ensure local sufficiency of edible oil. A total of 4.9 million Thitseint trees will be grown annually throughout the nation by the ministry, he said and spoke of the need for the state and division forest departments to make earnest efforts for sufficiency of saplings. He called on officials to make concerted efforts to meet and exceed the targets of production, local distribution and export of forest products. The minister also gave instructions on work to be carried out and practice of thrift in implementing the tasks. Then, the meeting came to an end.

Boring machines for artesian well sinking arrive

Yangon, 20 Dec- Boring machines and accessories for tube-well sinking under Japanese government's grants arrived at No 2 Sule Wharf here by Vessel Augusta Triumph this afternoon. Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein Nyunt accompanied by Deputy Minister U Kyaw Tin inspected unloading of the machinery at the wharf this afternoon. Director-General Col Myo Myint of Development Affairs Department, officials of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Mitsubishi Cooperation showed the machinery to the minister. The machinery arrived today were two TONE boring machines, four wheel-mounted cranes, four compressors, four vehicles, one mobile workshop, three administrative vehicles and accessories worth ´ 600 million. Development Affairs Department in collaboration with JICA, with the use of the machinery, will carry out tasks for supplying of water at the villages in Shan State (North) and other regions where water is scarce.

( 5 )  Health Care Management Course concludes

Yangon, 20 Dec- The closing ceremony of the Health Care Management Course 2/2001 of the Health Department of the Ministry of Health was held at the Health Staff Training School on East Bazaar Road in Dagon Township this morning, with an address by Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein. Also present on the occasion were Deputy Ministers Prof Dr Mya Oo and Prof Dr Kyaw Myint, directors-general and deputy directors-general from the ministry, rectors, directors, deputy directors, medical superintendents, guests, course instructors and trainee nurses.

Minister Maj-Gen Ket Sein made an address. He said pondering on the results of the courses conducted at this school, it can be seen that success is achieved in every step of health care tasks, leadership and management. At a time when concerted efforts are being made for the emergence of a modern and developed nation, health sector plays a vital role to be able to form a healthy man power and the ministry is striving for the nation to be an ideal nation that can keep abreast of the neighbouring nations and can lead them, he said. The ministry is taking good care in laying down plans based on manpower, finance and strength available for the best advantages. Health plans have been laid and are being implemented since 1978 and now the National Health Plan (2001-2006) is being implementetermd in line with the third short five-year plan, he added. In implementing the guidance of the Head of State for the development of human resources in health sector, courses are conducted to promote the skills of the health staff, and progress is achieved due to the balanced upgrading of machinery, he pointed out.

The skills of health staff in Myanmar including nurses is renown not only in Myanmar but in the world, and the State confers B N Sc degrees to promote the ability of nurses and M N Sc courses will be opened soon, and scholars are sent to Australia for Ph D degree courses. To be able to produce more nurses, the Institute of Nursing was opened in Mandalay and Nursing Schools were opened in Bhamo, Meiktila and Hinthada, he said. Nurses have been sent to foreign countries to attend courses, seminars and to have international experience.

He urged the trainees to not only apply the knowledge and techniques gained from the course but also share them with collagues and subordinates, and to actively take part in health care activities of the State and to try their best in response to the gratitude of the State. The trainee officers are to systematically use manpower, finance and strength in hand for the effective health care task, he said. In conclusion, he said nurses play a key role in health care services for the public and trainee nurses are to take a leading role in promoting of the health standard of the public with goodwill and to strive for becoming dutiful staff who are loyal to the state and the people.

He then presented the first prize to Matron Daw Ohn Shin of Hpa-an General Hospital in Kayin State, the second to Nursing Officer Capt Aye Aye Thein of the Defence Services Obstetric and Gynaecology Hospital and the third to Nurse (grade-1) Daw Khin Tint of Health Planning Department in Sagaing Division. Afterwards, Nurse Daw Enkhun Monglon of Myitkyina General Hospital, on behalf of the trainees, spoke words of thanks. Altogether 33 trainees Ń deputy-directors (nursing) from the Head Office of the Health Department and state/division health departments, matrons, senior nurses and township nurses (grade-1) attended the four-week course.

( 6 ) Regular press conference held

Yangon, 20 Dec- Regular press conference with local and foreign journalists was held at Tatmadaw Guest House on Inya Road here at 10 am today. Present on the occasion were Vice-Chief of Military Intelligence Maj-Gen Kyaw Win, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Deputy Minister for Information Brig-Gen Aung Thein, the senior military officers of the Ministry of Defence, heads of department, officials of the Ministry of Information, Correspondent U Sein Win of Kyodo News Agency, Secretary of Myanmar Foreign Correspondents Club U Nyunt Tin and member correspondents and guests.

At the conference, Vice-Chief of Military Intelligence Maj-Gen Kyaw Win, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win, and officials replied to queries raised by the local and foreign journalists. Replying to queries on the state visit to the Union of Myanmar by the goodwill delegation led by President of the People's Republic of China Mr Jiang Zemin and Madame Wang Yeping, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win said that the PRC President paid a state visit to the Union of Myanmar with the aim of further strengthening the ties of friendship between Myan-mar and the PRC and promoting mutual cooperation between the two countries. During the visit, the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries have been further cemented, and the visit to the Union of Myanmar by the PRC President and party was completely successful. Then, the regular press conference came to a close.

Fourth BIMST-EC Senior Officials' Meeting concludes

Yangon, 20 Dec- The 4th BIMST-EC Senior Officials' Meeting hosted by Myanmar concluded at the Sedona Hotel on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road this afternoon. Present on the occasion were senior officials and delegates of BIMST-EC from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand and officials. Leader of Myanmar delegation Director-General U Win Mra of International Organizations and Economic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presided over the meeting and gave a speech. Delegates discussed and approved the draft of joint communique to be issued at the 4th BIMST-EC Ministers' Meeting.

They also discussed fixing a date and country for holding the 5th BIMST-EC Ministers' Meeting. Then, General round of discussions followed. Later, finishing touches were given to the draft of the report of the meeting and approved it. Then, the meeting came to a close. The 4th BIMST-EC Senior Ministers' Meeting will be held at the Sedona Hotel on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road on 21 December. Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win hosted a dinner in honour of senior officials and delegates at Mya Yeik Nyo Royal Hotel here this evening.