( 1 ) Senior General Than Shwe hosts dinner to delegates to USDA Special General Meeting (2002)

Yangon, 20 Feb- 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 hosted a dinner to delegates of state/division/district/township USDAs who had attended the Special General Meeting of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (2002), at the Zeyathiri Beikman on Konmyinttha here this evening.

Senior General Than Shwe arrived there at 7 pm and cordially greeted the delegates of USDAs. Also present at the dinner were members of the Panel of Patrons of USDA (Central) Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Deve-lopment 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, members of the State Peace and Development Council, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Vice-Admiral Kyi Min, Commander-in-Chief (Air) Maj-Gen Myint Swe, Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Brig-Gen Myint Swe, ministers, the Attorney-General, the chairman of the Civil Service Selection and Training Board, the mayor, members of the Panel of Patrons of USDA (Central), CEC members of USDA, deputy ministers, members of the National Convention Convening Commission, senior officers of the Ministry of Defence, departmental heads, chairmen of NGOs and officials, USDA delegates and guests. Before the dinner, the Myanma modern music troupe entertained the audience with songs, and artistes of the Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture, Myanmar classical songs, yein dances and anyeint performances during and after the dinner.

Excerpts of national significance from Senior General Than Shwe's address (19-2-2002)

 * It is not for nothing that we are now in the present position in the country.

 * We are working day and night as best we could for the emergence of a peaceful, modern and developed nation.

 * It can be achieved not by words but by practical deeds.

 * We are fully aware that there can be difficulties and obstacles ahead. There are a lot of disturbances from inside and outside the country. Against all the odds, we are working because of our love of the nation.

 * If there are no disturbances and obstacles, the pace of development of the nation will be quicker and so will the work to build a democratic nation.

 * More disturbances and blockages will only mean that it will take longer to reach that objective.

* Efforts are being made for the modernization and development of the future nation and also to make sure that the new generation is free from any hardship and troubles.

* Efforts are being made to ensure non-disintegration of the Union and non-disintegration of national solidarity and to safeguard the sovereignty of the nation, thereby making sure that the nation is not at the beck and call of others. The USDA members are: - to develop patriotic spirit;

- to strive for the development of the Union and safeguard it with their lives; and as befits the members of the USDA; and

- to nurture strong will and determination so as to overcome any difficulty whatsoever.

( 3 ) Government producing more nurses, upgrading their qualifications and education, creating more opportunities for them Nurses most basic and major force of health sector

Yangon, 20 Feb- A ceremony to open the 47th Nurses Conference was held at the Institute of Nursing (Yangon) on Bogyoke Aung San Street here at 8.30 am today, with an address by Chairman of National Health Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt. Also present at the conference were Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Brig-Gen Myint Swe, ministers, deputy ministers, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, departmental heads, directors-general, deputy directors-general and rectors of departments and universities under the Ministry of Health, resident representatives of UN agencies and officials, medical superintendents of hospitals in Yangon, Assistant Directors (Nurse) and Staff Officers (Nurse) of States and Divisions, matrons and sisters, commandants of military hospitals, nurse officers, chairmen and officials of NGOs, the chairperson and executives of Myanmar Nurses Association (Central), delegates of branches of State and Division associations, members of MNA and guests.

 At the opening ceremony, Chairman of National Health Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt delivered an address. The Secretary-1 said till now, the association has stood as a reliable and firm national force taking the leadership role in promoting the national health standard throughout the period of 54 years since it was founded in 1948. He wished the members of the association to be able to strive for physical and mental health of the entire mankind, successful implementation of the national health plans and raising the national health standard. He said the work of the nurses is noble. It can be carried out only with love, kindness and compassion. Thus, the nurses should have the noble aims, gentle mind and immense goodwill.

Thus, the association is required to play a key role in combining the noble dignity and skills of the nurses to become an effective single force; the nurses should also strive to contribute towards realization of the aims of the national health plan. The government is striving from all sectors for rapid progress of the nation and to enable her to stand tall among the world nations. In so doing the government is making efforts to develop the national forces. Health and fitness of the entire people is an essential requirement in striving to develop all the sectors of the nation. Only the healthy and fit people will be able to strive for national progress. Only if all the national people are fit and healthy, will they be able to take part in national development undertakings with full strength and to enjoy the fruits of progress. The government has been implementing the national health plans, the four-year national education promotion programme of the health sector and the 30-year national health plan.

 The national health plans cover the tasks to effectively extend the scope of the public health care programme to reach rural areas including the border regions, to gradually improve the quality of public health care programmes from major towns to remote areas to narrow the health gap between rural and urban areas. Priority has been given to advanced health research work in order to develop the human resources of the health sector and produced qualified persons in the field in order to extend the area and to promote the quality in the public health care sector. In implementing the enormous and delicate national health plans, the government is relying on the participation of the social organizations and the public in addition to the Ministry of Health and related government bodies. Nurses are the most basic and the major force of the health sector. Every day, they are closely working with the physicians and giving assistance to them. They are also attending to the needs of the patients, and taking part in the treatment and rehabilitation programmes. They are playing a role in the management sector of the hospitals and dispensaries.

The nurses have been assigned the duty of the health care sector which is based on the primary public health care programme. Especially, nurses and midwives are discharging the main duties at rural health care centres which are the most basic sector of the nation's health care system. As it has acknowledged the important role of the nurses, the government has been striving to producing more nurses, upgrading their qualifications, enabling them to pursue further studies and assigning advanced duties to them. The government is also laying down plans to use their skills effectively. In addition to setting up the Institute of Nursing (Yangon) and the Institute of Nursing (Mandalay), the government is extending nurses training schools and midwifery training schools in all the states and divisions.

 There are now 21 nurses training schools and another 21 midwifery training schools in the nation. BNSc courses have been conducted in the two nursing institutes and bridge-courses will be opened for in-service nurses. The MNSc course was opened in 2001-2002, and scholars have been sent abroad to attend Ph D courses. The government has made arrangements to send scholars to other courses and seminars abroad. As it is giving encouragement to improve the qualifications of nurses and to continuously produce nurses, it is also trying to raise the living standard of the nurses. Thus there are now nurses who hold BNSc, MNSc and Ph D degrees. In 2000-2001, there were 12,821 nurses in the nation, up from 8,349 in 1988-98. The number of midwives reached 11,180 in 2000-2001 from 8,121 in 1988-89. He said health care services, leadership and management courses are being conducted for improvement of qualifications of health staff including nurses.

 Assistant Directors (Nursing), Nursing Staff Officers, matrons and sisters and nursing officers attended the courses and they skilfully handled advanced nursing activities and management. It can be seen that qualities of hospitals and public health care services are improving with momentum due to the improvement in nurses' leadership and management capabilities. Now, Head of State Senior General Than Shwe has laid down five rural development tasks and given guidance on implementation of the tasks for speeding up the development momentum of success achieved in the country, he said. Head of State Senior General Than Shwe laid down five tasks for development of rural areas including border areas, the most basic regions of the State. Health personnel are to implement the task for promotion of the health standard of rural people.

 He quoted Head of State Senior General Than Shwe as saying that efforts are to be made for improvement of health standard of rural people and development of rural delivery rooms, rural health centres and station hospitals and treatment and other facilities and dissemination of health knowledge in cooperation with the people. The government has been implementing rural health development plan in accord with the guidance of the Head of State and rural health centres are the most basic forces, he said. Now, station hospitals, rural dispensaries and rural health centres undertake rural health care services and each rural health centres was reorganized with 13 staff. Nurses and midwives of a rural health centre are the front health staff who provide basic health care services to the people, he said. He said there were 1,337 rural health centres in 1988-89 and there are 1,402 in 2000-2001.

There were 64 regional health centres in 1988-89 and it rose to 84 in 2000-2001. Altogether 5,657 rural health centres and 395 station hospitals were opened. Now rural health centres, maternal and child health centres of regional health centres in various parts of the country can undertake preventive measures, basic health care services, maternal and child health care and nutrition. Those who undertake these tasks are nurses and midwives, he added. Preventive measures on malaria, elephantiasis, dengue fever, tuberculosis, leprosy and seasonal diseases were systematically laid down.

Therefore, health care services of nurses play an important role in health education, he said. He urged nurses to make endeavours as a consolidated national force of health sector for success of national health plans under the leadership of Myanmar Nurses Association after realizing the objectives and goodwill of the State. Myanmar Nurses Association, a strong national force, has mobilized nurses and midwives in unity and formed 181 branches in the whole country. He urged them to make continued efforts for exploitation of their strength beneficially and standing as a leading association. He urged the association to lead and organize the nurses to possess the good qualities and conduct, to preserve Myanmar customs and traditions and to behave well.

 In conclusion, he urged the nurses to make efforts to improve their qualities, turn out well-qualified ones, to participate in national development tasks, national health plan and nation-building tasks and to serve the interest of the nation and the people as dutiful personnel. After the opening ceremony, the Secretary-1 and party viewed the booth of MNA (Central), the booth of 47th MNC and documentary movement photos of the branches of State and Division associations.

( 4 ) Daw Mya Mya San recites religious verses at Lawka Chantha Abhaya Labha Muni Image

Yangon, 20 Feb - Parikamma pre-ceremony for consecration and Buddha Pujaniya of Lawka Chantha Abhaya Labha Muni Image, kept on Mindhamma Hill in Insein Township, is being held at Gandakuti Kyaung-dawgyi beginning 17 February. At 8 am today, Daw Mya Mya San, wife of Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) General Maung Aye, Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe, wife of Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, and wives of the members of the State Peace and Development Council, wives of the Commander-in-Chief (Navy) and the Commander-in-Chief (Air), the wife of the Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command and wives of the ministers recited religious verses at the ceremony.

Industry-1 Minister receives guests

 Yangon, 20 Feb - Minister for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung received Managing Director Mr Masahiro Abe of Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan and party, Senior Vice-President Mr Toshikazu Suzuki of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation of Japan and party, Expert for Paper Mills Mr Tadashi Sano of Nichimen Corporation of Japan and party and Mr Rebechi of Mediotrade of Italy and party at his office this afternoon respectively. Also present at the calls were Deputy Ministers Brig-Gen Thein Tun and Brig-Gen Kyaw Win, director-general and managing directors of the department and industries under the ministry. MNA tonnes of marine products.

Minister receives guests

Yangon, 20 Feb - Minister for Transport Maj-Gen Hla Myint Swe received the goodwill delegation of Malaysia led by Mr Azmin Mustam bin Abdulkarim at his office this morning. Also present at the call were Deputy Minister for Transport U Pe Than, Director-General of Transport Department Col Nyan Tun Aung, Managing Director of Myanma Five Star Line U Khin Maung Kyi and officials.

Industry-2 Minister receives Malaysian guests

Yangon, 20 Feb - Chairman of the supervisory committee for overseas employment Minister for Industry-2 Maj-Gen Saw Lwin received Director of Malaysia-Myanmar Friendship Association of Malaysia Mr J Tan Teck Lim and party at the Ministry of Industry-2 on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road at 10 am today. They cordially discussed matters related to sending workers to Malaysia. Also present at the call were Deputy Minister for Labour Brig-Gen Win Sein, Deputy Minister for Industry-2 Lt-Col Khin Maung Kyaw and officials.

( 5 ) Ambassador U Wunna Maung Lwin accredited to Netherlands

Yangon, 21 Feb- The Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar has appointed U Wunna Maung Lwin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Union of Myanmar to the Republic of France, concurrently as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Union of Myanmar to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Ambassador U Wunna Maung Lwin accredited to Belgium

Yangon, 21 Feb - The Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar has appointed U Wunna Maung Lwin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Union of Myanmar to the Republic of France, concurrently as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Union of Myanmar to the Kingdom of Belgium.

Ambassador U Wunna Maung Lwin accredited to Spain

Yangon, 21 Feb - The Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar has appointed U Wunna Maung Lwin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Union of Myanmar to the Republic of France, concurrently as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Union of Myanmar to the Kingdom of Spain.

( 6 )  The First-day session of Special General Meeting of USDA (2002) held

Yangon, 20 Feb - The first-day second session of Special General Meeting of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (2002) was held at the Pyidaungsu hall of the USDA Executives Management Training School of the Central Public Relations Unit in Hmawby on 19 February morning.

 It was attended by the secretary-general of USDA and secretaries, CEC members, secretaries of state/division USDAs and delegates of state/division/district/township USDAs to the meeting. Member of the secretariat of the USDA U Khin Maung Thein presided over the meeting with CEC members of the USDA U Soe Tha and U Aung Thein Lin as members. Daw Nan Mya Su, executive of Kawkareik District USDA in Kayin State, acted as master of the ceremonies, and Daw Zar Zar Nwe Yin, executive of Magway Township USDA in Magway Division, as joint master of ceremonies. Secretary-General of USDA U Than Aung explained matters related to works on the special general meeting (2002) of USDA and the formation of groups for holding state/division wise discussions. After the master of ceremonies had announced the list of group members, the first-day session came to a close at 10.50 am group discussions of state/division were held in designated places.

Contract to supply communication and safety equipment signed

Yangon, 20 Feb-Myanma Livestock and Fisheries Development Bank and FISCA Group entered into the contract for supply of communication and safety equipment to livestock and fisheries entrepreneurs under hire-purchase agreement at Yangon Trade Centre on Upper Pazundaung Road in Mingala Taungnyunt Township at 3 pm today. Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Brig-Gen Maung Maung Thein made a speech on the occasion.

Then, Deputy Managing Director of MLFDB Lt-Col Zaw Win and General Manager of FISCA Group U Zaw Min spoke. The deputy managing director and the Managing Director U Zaw Weik exchanged documents of the agreement. Present on the occasion were Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries U Aung Thein, directors-general and managing directors of departments and enterprises under the ministry, the Deputy Managing Director of MLFDB and members of the Board of Directors, the Managing Director of FISCA and officials, livestock and fisheries entrepreneurs and others.

e-National Task Force meeting held

Yangon, 20 Feb- Meeting (1/2002) of e-National Task Force was held at the Myanma Information, Communication and Technology Park this afternoon with an address by Chairman of e-NTF Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraphs Brig-Gen Thein Zaw. It was also attended by Deputy Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement U Hlaing Win, departmental heads, officials of Myanmar Computer Federation and work committees of e-NTF. First, Minister Brig-Gen Thein Zaw made an opening speech and officials concerned reported on their respective works. Then, the meeting came to an end with the concluding remarks by the minister.

Myanmar Nurses Conference held

Yangon, 20 Feb-The second session of the 47th Conference of the Myanmar Nurses Association was held at the Institute of Nursing on Bogyoke Aung San Street this morning. It was attended by MNA (Central) Chairperson Daw E Babaro and executives, delegates of state, division and township branches of the association, members of association and guests. Daw E Barbaro, who presided over the conference made an address. Then, the report of the executive committee was read out by Secretary of the Assocaition U Khin Maung Win and financial statement by Joint-Treasurer Daw Kyi Win and they were approved.

Next, the chairperson and executive committee members presented honorary awards to the outstanding nurses and certificates of honour to the division and township branches well-wishers that donated cash to the association and wellwishers. The third session followed at the same venue at 1 pm. Vice-Chairperson 1 of the association Daw Khin May Win chaired the third session and made a speech. Delegates from state/division level branches read out respective reports, followed by a general round of discussions. The first day sessions came to an end in the evening.