( 1 ) State Peace and Development Council Chairman Senior General Than Shwe sends felicitations to Malaysia

Yangon, 31 Aug - On the occasion of the 45th Anniversary of the National Day of Malaysia, which falls on 31 August 2002, Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council and Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar, has sent messages of felicitations to His Majesty Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin lbni Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia and His Excellency Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia.  

State Peace and Development Council Chairman Senior General Than Shwe accepts credentials of Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran

Yangon, 30 Aug - Mr Rasoul Eslami, newly accredited Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Union of Myanmar, presented his credentials to Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, at Zeyathiri Beikman, Kon-myinttha at 10 am today.

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( 2 ) Work coordinated to organize UN poster exhibition

Yangon, 30 Aug - A work coordination meeting on organizing the UN poster exhibition took place in the meeting hall of Zeyathiri Beikman on Konmyinttha here this evening. Patron of the Committee for Organizing the UN Poster Exhibition Sec- retary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt addressed the meeting.

The Secretary-1 said that the meeting is held to coordinate work for organizing the UN poster exhibition smoothly. In response to the request of the officials of UN headquarters to Myanmar, arrangements are being made to hold the poster exhibition in Myanmar. The exhibition will be devoted to the works of world-famous artists, posters and photos by famous lens men and historical posters which dates back to 1938. These invaluable posters need to be put on display in various sectors such as peace-keeping, development, environment, fight against hunger, poverty, illiteracy, human rights and disarmament.

The UN poster exhibition was already held at UNESCO in Paris and the UN office in Geneva, in Warsaw, Bonn, Norway, the Republic of Korea and Japan and at ESCAP in Bangkok. Now it will be hosted in Myanmar. The exhibition will be held in the beginning of November 2002 in commemoration of UN Day which falls on 24 October. Therefore, essay, poem and painting competitions are to be held in commemoration of the UN Day and the UN poster exhibition. The exhibition will accentuate the friendly co-operation between Myanmar and the UN. The Union of Myanmar is actively taking part in the activities of the UN and also cooperating with the UN organizations in launching activities.

In conclusion, the Secretary-1 called on all to actively cooperate with one another in organizing the exhibition. Then, Vice-Chairman of the Committee Vice-Chief of Military Intelligence Maj-Gen Kyaw Win and Minister for Foreign Affairs U Win Aung reported on the measures being taken by the committee and subcommittees to organize the exhibition. Deputy Minister for Education Brig-Gen Soe Win Maung, Deputy Minister for Transport Brig-Gen Kyaw Myint, Deputy Minister for Health Professor Dr Kyaw Myint, Deputy Minister for Culture U Soe Nyunt, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin Maung Win and officials of the committee and subcommittees reported on matters related to the holding of the essay, poem and painting competitions at the higher and basic education levels, the UN poster exhibition, health and cleanliness, invitation and reception.

The meeting ended with concluding remarks by the Secretary-1.

YANGON, 30 Aug- The 4th Inter-Country Consultation on Framework Convention on Tobacco Control concluded in the hall of at Sofitel Plaza in Yangon at 12: 30 pm today. After the meeting, "The Yangon Declaration ", was issued collecting the discussions of international representatives.

Affirming the Jaipur Declaration adopted by the countries of the South East Asia Region (SEAR) on 15 February 2002, Acknowledging the difficulties faced by the Chair in reconciling the various positions taken by the countries, and Appreciating the simplicity and clarity of the New Chair's Text of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and Concerned that certain provisions of the New Text do not reflect the position of the SEAR, Emphasizing the need for is- sues of public health to receive priority over existing trade obligations, Recognizing that strong measures on advertising, packaging and labeling as well as sales to and by minors need to be incorporated in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Reiterating the need for a comprehensive financial mechanism to support developing countries in fulfilling their obligations under this Convention, determined to develop a strong and effective Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the countries of SEAR 'present at Yangon agree that the following primary negotiating positions emerged during the Fourth Intercessional Meeting.

Trade and Health

In the New Chair's Text, there are certain Articles in which the issues of public health and specifically tobacco control and international trade arise concurrently. Specifically:

* Article 2, Sections 2 and 3 (Relationship between this .Convention and other agreements and legal instruments)

* Article 4, Section 5 (Guiding principles)

Concerning these articles, the SEAR countries have ex- pressed concern that while tobacco control must be considered in concert with existing trade obligations, trade should not be considered more important than public health in general and specifically tobacco control. As such, the New Chair's Text for these sections has been replaced with the parallel text elaborated in the Jaipur Report, with the exception that the word should have been replaced with "shall" in Article 4, Section 5 to increase the strength of the provision.

Price and tax measures

Article 6 of the New Chair's Text addresses price and tax measures to reduce demand for tobacco. The SEAR countries have adopted the following positions:

1. The elimination of all duty-free sales of tobacco products and

2. The need for earmarking some of the revenue from taxes on tobacco products for tobacco control programmes.

Packaging and laI1elling of tobacco products

Article 11 of the New Chair's Text addresses tobacco product packaging and labeling, The SEAR countries have adopted the position that the FCTC should reflect that a certain percentage namely no less than 50 percent of the front and the rear of all tobacco product packaging should comprise health warnings. Language to this effect has been added to Article 11, Section I (d) in the version of this section developed during this ISM.

Passive smoking 

Article 8 of the New Chair's Text addresses passive smoking. Because the SEAR countries have a commitment to protecting all people from the effects of passive smoke, they have deleted the final sentence of this Article to eliminate all ambiguity and to strengthen the obligation.

Advertising, promotion and sponsorship

Article 13 of the New Chair's Text addresses tobacco product advertising, sponsorship and promotion. The SEAR countries have articulated a strong position on advertising, promotion and sponsorship: namely, that all of these activities should be prohibited and eliminated. Language to this effect \has been included in the version of this section as developed during this ISM.

Sales to and by minors

Article 16 addresses the sale of tobacco products to minors. The SEAR countries feel strongly that not only should supply and sales to minors be considered in this section of the Convention, but also supply and sales by minors. Further, there is a consensus in this group that although penalties against those who sell to minors or use minors to sell tobacco products are necessary, those penalties should not be levied against the minors themselves. Language to this effect has been included in the version of this section as developed during this ISM.

Protection of the environment

The New Chair's Text includes Article 18, which addresses protection of the environment in relation to tobacco cultivation and manufacturing. The SEAR countries have adopted the position that because there has been no negotiation or discussion of this material in any of the past Intergovernmental Negotiating Bodies, this article should be deleted.

Financial resources

In Article 26 of the New Chair's Text, financial resources are addressed. The SEAR countries agree that the New Chair's Text does not adequately reflect the regional position that creation of a global fund with a clearly defined funding mechanism is essential to the success of global tobacco con- trol. As such, this entire section has been replaced by the parallel text (i.e Section Q) elaborated in the Jaipur Report.

Amendments to the Convention

Article 28 of the New Chair's Text addresses the requirements for amending the Convention. The SEAR countries have expressed their resolve that these requirements be strict in order to protect against dilution of the obligations in the Convention. Accordingly, in the version developed during this ISM, a requirement that any amendment must have the sup- port of one fourth of the Parties to the Convention before it can be officially submitted as a proposal has been added to Article 28 (1). Further, the majority needed to pass any pro- posed amendment has been changed to three-fourths of the Parties present and voting in Article 28 (3).

Standard and best practices for measuring the content of tobacco products

Article 9 of the New Chair's Text addresses regulation of contents of tobacco products. The SEAR countries feel that prescribing the contents of tobacco products would be counterproductive as it would convey the impression that at the regulated levels, tobacco products were safe. Therefore, in the version of the text elaborated at this ISM, changes have been made to both the title and the content of this Article to reflect the SEAR countries' desire that standards and best practices be the focus of this Article.

( 3 ) Minister U Win Aung sends felicitations to Malaysia

Yangon, 31 Aug - On the occasion of the 45th Anniversary of the National Day of Malaysia, which falls on 31 August 2002, U Win Aung, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Dato' Seri Syed Hamid bin Syed Jaafar Albar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia.

Health Minister receives Ambassador

Yangon, 30 Aug - Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein received Ambassador of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Mr Ubhayasekara Mapa at his office on Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Street in Dagon Township at 11.30 am today.

Health Minister receives guests

Yangon, 30 Aug - Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein received Director of Asian Pacific Region (Latin America & Canada) of the Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd Mr Vinod Dhawan and party at his office at 10.30 am today. During his call, Mr Vinod Dhawan presented HIV/AIDS medicines worth K 5 million to the minister, who then presented a certificate of honour to him.

H & T Minister receives foreign guests

Yangon, 30 Aug - Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj-Gen Saw Lwin received Chairman of Golden Triangle Paradise Resort Co Ltd Mr Prasit Pothasuthon and Managing Director Mr Jerawat Arnupavathum, who are running Golden Triangle Paradise Resort Hotel in Tachilek, at his office at noon today. They discussed matters related to hotels and tourism and arrangements for ensuring the arrival of tourists to be organized by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

( 4 ) Industry-1 Minister receives guests

Yangon, 30 Aug - Minister for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung received Vice- President of CNTIC Trading Co Ltd of the People's Republic of China Mr Zhang Guodong and party at 2.30 pm, Italian Ambassador to Myanmar Dr Raffaelle Miniero at 3 pm, and Iranian Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Rasoul Eslami, whose office is in Bangkok, at 4 pm at his office today.

Commerce Minister receives Italian Ambassador

Yangon, 30 Aug - Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone received Ambassador of Italy to Myanmar Dr Rafaelle Miniero at his office at 1 pm today.

Appointment of Ambassador agreed on

Yangon, 31 Aug - The Government of the Union of Myanmar has agreed to the appointment of Mr John Bentum-Williams as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Ghana to the Union of Myanmar. Mr John Bentum-Williams was born on 13 August 1938. He graduated from the University of Western Ontario, Canada, with B.A (Hons) in Economics in 1963. He also received a Diploma in Management of Public Enterprises from Harvard University in 1973. He held various executive and consultancy positions with economic and financial institutions in Ghana for over 30 years. Mr John Bentum- Williams will be concurrently accredited to the Union of Myanmar with residence in Kuala Lumpur. He is married.

4th Inter-Country Consultation on FCTC concludes Yangon Declaration released

Yangon, 30 Aug - The 4th Inter-Country Consultation on Framework Convention on Tobacco Control hosted in Myanmar concluded in the hall of the Sofitel Plaza Yangon at 12.30 pm today. After the meeting, :The Yangon Declaration," was issued which is a collection of the discussions of international representatives.

( 5 ) Traditional medical research and production technique handed over

Yangon, 30 Aug - Respective ministries are trying their best to do research on diseases common to the public and to locally produce medicines based on traditional medicinal herbs in carrying out public health care services by forming a committee for producing medicines to cure six major diseases in line with the guidance of the Head of State.

A ceremony to hand over traditional medical research and technique of the two kinds of traditional medicines, which the Medical Research Department of the Ministry of Health has succeeded in carrying out research on, to the Ministry of Industry-1 by the Ministry of Health took place at the meeting hall of the department (Lower Myanmar) in Dagon Township this morning.

Minister for Health Maj-Gen Ket Sein and Minster for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung attended the ceremony. Prof Dr Mya Oo explained endeavours made by the Ministry of Health to abundantly produce medicines for public use under the directive of the committee. With regard to the traditional medical research and production technique, Dr Aye Aye Than, researcher, then explained matters related to introduction of potent medicines for treatment of diabetes with the use of bitter gourd; and Dr Thaung Hla, malaria and diarrhea with the use of brucea mollis.

Concerning the research findings, queries on requirements for producing medicines were answered by researchers concerned, Prof Dr Mya Oo and Prof Dr Kyaw Myint. Then, Brig-Gen Kyaw Win gave an account of the law for the handing over of the technique. Director-General of MRD (Lower Myanmar) Dr Paing Soe and General Manager of Myanmar Pharmaceutical Factory U Zaw Win signed the agreement and exchanged the documents. The ceremony came to an end after U Zaw Win expressed words of thanks.

Minister inspects edible oil refinery

Yangon, 30 Aug - Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin inspected refining of palm oil, invention of small oil-refiners and trial production of thit-seint oil in the oil refinery of Myanma Perennial Crops Enterprise in Thingangyun Township this morning.

The manager of the refinery reported arrangements for the extended production of edible oil. The minister gave necessary instructions. The minister inspected crude oil and refined oil samples, by-products and the production process. Managing Director U Myint Oo reported on capacities of edible oil refiners. The minister gave instructions on invention of edible oil refiners in cooperation with the technicians within the country.

CPT Minister and party arrive back

Yangon, 30 Aug - Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraphs Brig-Gen Thein Zaw, after attending the Second ASEAN Telecommunications Ministers Meeting held in Makati, the Philippines, from 27 to 28 August, arrived back here this evening. The minister was welcomed back at Yangon International Airport by Minister for Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint, Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj-Gen Saw Lwin and departmental heads of the Myanma Posts and Telecommunications and the Directorate of Telecommunications. Assistant General Manager U Zaw Tint of the Myanma Posts and Telecommunications also arrived back on the same flight.

Minister visits Indakaw Industrial Zone

Yangon, 30 Aug - Minister for Industry-2 Maj-Gen Saw Lwin, visited Indakaw Industrial Zone of the Ministry of Industry-2 in Indakaw region, Bago Division, this morning.

Managing Director of Myanma Automobile and Diesel Engine Industry U Soe Thein reported on arrival of machinery from India for the smelting plant and the ball-bearing factory; Managing Director of Myanma Machine Tool and Electrical Industry U Kyaw Win on machinery for the aluminum wire factory; Managing Director of Myanma Industrial Construction Services U Ye Tun on construction of a smelting plant, a ball- bearing factory and an aluminum wire factory. The minister gave instructions on construction of buildings.

Then, the minister inspected the machinery purchased from India and construction of the plant and factories. The minister gave instructions on sending machinery to respective factories.

Phaunggyi Creek Bridge (Yangon Division) inaugurated

Yangon, 30 Aug - The opening ceremony of Phaunggyi Creek Bridge in Hlegu Township, Yangon North District, built by Public Works under the Ministry of Construction was held at the pandal of the bridge this morning.

Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander Maj-Gen Myint Swe and Minister for Construction Maj-Gen Saw Tun delivered addresses. In his address, the commander said that Phaunggyi Bridge inaugurated today is an important facility as it was built across Ngamoyeik Creek between Phaunggyi East Village and Phaunggyi West Village in Hlegu Township.

The old bridge was of Bailey-type and had a 10 feet and nine inches wide motorway. It could withstand only 13-ton loads with one-way system and consequently it was difficult for heavy vehicles to pass through it. But the new one has a 28-foot-wide motorway with two four-foot-wide pedestrian lanes on either side. The bridge is a reinforced concrete one which can withstand 60-ton loads. Thus it is very useful for local people in sending their local goods to other regions. Furthermore, it contributes to further development of education, health, economic and social sectors as well as smooth transport.

The commander expressed words of thanks to the Head of State and officials of the Ministry of Construction who took part in the project. It took only seven months to complete the bridge. The minister presented certificates of honour to Deputy Superintending Engineer of the Special Bridge Construction Group-13 U Soe Myint and service personnel of the project. Many bridges have been built in Yangon Division in accord with the farsighted guidance of the Head of State. Previously, the people in the regions had to rely mainly on water transport in the past. Now they can go to Yangon conveniently. The betterment of transport leads to improvement of the living standard of the local people. In conclusion, he urged local residents to maintain the bridge.

The minister said that in building a modern developed nation, the Ministry of Construction is improving the transport sector essential in building the economic infrastructure. The Head of State has given guidance that the earlier a bridge completes, the sooner it will serve the people's interests. A total of 23 bridges have been constructed in Yangon Division at a cost of K 16,716 million and over US$ 68 million. He said that the government is constructing development infrastructures such as roads and bridges spending huge sums of money for regional development and improvement of living standard of the people.

Later, Secretary of Township USDA U Kyi Aung spoke words of thanks. The commander, the minister and guests took positions at the top of the bridge. At the auspicious time, the commander and the minister formally opened the bridge. Afterwards, the minister pressed the button to unveil the stone plaque of the bridge.

Then, the commander, the minister, the deputy ministers, officials and local people walked on the bridge. The bridge linking Hlegu and Phaunggyi is 240 feet long with a 28-foot-wide motorway and two four-foot-wide pedestrian lanes. It is of reinforced concrete one and can withstand 60-ton loads.

( 6 ) Campaign launched to free Myanmar from leprosy by year 2003

Yangon, 30 Aug - Yangon Division Peace and Development Council held a meeting on launching the national leprosy eradication campaign this afternoon.

Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Myint Swe gave a speech. The commander said a campaign is being launched to free Myanmar from leprosy by the year 2003. It was found that MDT, a compound of three kinds of drugs, has the potency to cure the disease. Thus, it is also found that leprosy can be cured at its early stage. Wider dissemination of the knowledge on the leprosy is required. During the leprosy campaign week, which will be held from 24 to 30 October 2002, billboards will be posted; pamphlets will be distributed; and video footages on the disease will be shown in the wards.

The health staff and members of humanitarian organizations will also hold talks and organize the people to participate in the week. The Township Health Departments are going to issue reports on the leprosy campaign. Thus it is required for the entire people and social organizations to strive for the success of the leprosy eradication project. National Adviser at WHO Dr Kyaw Lwin explained the leprosy campaign in Myanmar and the world. The participants then took part in the discussions. The meeting ended with concluding remarks by Dr Tin Maung Win.

Work coordination meeting on elimination of leprosy held in Mandalay

Yangon, 30 Aug - A work coordination meeting on elimination of leprosy in Mandalay Division was held at the Mandalay Division Health Department in Mandalay on 28 August morning.

Mandalay Division Health Committee Chairman of Mandalay Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Central Command Brig-Gen Ye Myint made a speech. Dr Tin Myint explained the tasks for the elimination of leprosy. Then, a general round of discussions followed.