Prime Minister General Thein Sein attends 3rd GMS Summit, GMS closed-door meeting, signing ceremonies

NAY PYI TAW, 1 April - Prime Minister General Thein Sein of theUnion of Myanmar attended the opening ceremonyof Third Summitof Greater Mekong Subregionheld at Convention Hall Zone A of DonChan Palace Hotel inVientiane of Lao People's Democratic Republic at 9.25 am on 31 March. Present on the occasion were Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, Chinese Premier Mr Wen Jiabao, Laotian Prime Minister Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh, Thai Prime Minister Mr Samak Sundaravej, Vietnamese Prime Minister Mr Nguyen Tan Dung and ADB President Mr Haruhiko Kuroda, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar U Nyan Win, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Ministers of GMS countries, highranking officials, the Vice-President of ADB, entrepreneur delegates, diplomats of embassies in Vientiane of LPDR, guests and local and foreign journalists. At the opening ceremony, the master of ceremonies introduced those present to leaders of GMS countries and ADB President Mr Haruhiko Kuroda.
First, Laotian Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh made an opening speech on the occasion and the opening ceremony ended. Next, Prime Minister General Thein Sein together with ADB President Mr Haruhiko Kuroda arrived at Convention Hall Zone B of Don Chan Palace Hotel where the closed-door meeting of Third Summit of Greater Mekong Sub-region was going to be held. Afterwards, Prime Minister General Thein Sein, leaders of GMS countries and ADB President Mr Haruhiko Kuroda posed for a documentary photo. Later, the Third Summit of Greater Mekong Sub-region was held at Convention Hall Zone B at 9.35 am.
It was attended by Prime Minister General Thein Sein, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, Chinese Premier Mr Wen Jiabao, Laotian Prime Minister Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh, Thai Prime Minister Mr Samak Sundaravej, Vietnamese Prime Minister Mr Nguyen Tan Dung and ADB President Mr Haruhiko Kuroda, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar U Nyan Win, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Myanmar Ambassador to Lao PDR U Nyunt Hlaing, Ministers of GMS countries and high-ranking officials. Meeting Chairman Laotian Prime Minister Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh made an opening speech on the occasion. Next, ADB President Mr Haruhiko Kuroda briefed on matters relating to programme of GMS countries, Chinese Premier Mr Wen Jiabao on strengthening the infrastructure connectivity and a key ingredient to improve competitiveness, Vietnamese Prime Minister Mr Nguyen Tan Dung on trade and transport facilitation and changing from transport corridors into economic corridors, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen on public-private partnerships for expanding business and investment in the GMS, Thai Prime Minister Mr Samak Sundaravej on building human resource capacity for enhanced competitiveness and Laotian Prime Minister Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh on GMS cooperation and development partnerships.
Afterwards, Prime Minister General Thein Sein held discussions on role of sustainable environmental management in promoting competitiveness. Later, the meeting chairman reviewed open discussions of leaders of GMS countries and the meeting ended. Next, Prime Minister General Thein Sein attended a Ceremony for the Completion of Route 3 along the GMS North-South Economic Corridor (NSEC), a Completion Ceremony for Phase 1 of the GMS Information Super-highway Network (IS) Project, Signing of MoU and Signing of the Joint Summit Declaration (JSD). Present on the occasions were Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, Chinese Premier Mr Wen Jiabao, Laotian Prime Minister Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh, Thai Prime Minister Mr Samak Sundaravej, Vietnamese Prime Minister Mr Nguyen Tan Dung and ADB President Mr Haruhiko Kuroda, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar U Nyan Win, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Myanmar Ambassador to Laos U Nyunt Hlaing, Ministers of GMS countries and highranking officials.
First, the ceremony for the completion of Route 3 along the GMS North-South Economic Corridor (NSEC) was held. The master of ceremonies explained facts about the route 3 with audio visual aid. Next, the Chinese Premier, the Laotian Prime Minister, the Thai Prime Minister and the President of ADB formally opened the route 3. After that the completion ceremony for Phase 1 of the GMS Information Superhighway Network (IS) Project followed. The master of ceremonies explained facts about the background, construction and prospects and importance of the IS project with audio visual aid. Later, Prime Minister General Thein Sein, leaders of GMS countries and the president of ADB pressed the buttons to open the phase 1 of IS project. Next, the Chinese Premier explained prospects and importance of the IS project and then the Laotian Prime Minister reviewed the discussions and the ceremony ended.
Afterwards,the signing ceremony of MoU and Joint Summit Declaration (JSD) followed. First, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha and Ministers of GMS countries signed MoU on the Road Map for Implementing GMS Cross-Border Power Trading before the leaders of GMS countries. Next, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha and Ministers of GMS countries signed MoU on acceleration in the drive for implementing GMS North-South Economic Corridor before the leaders of GMS countries. Afterwards, the signing ceremony of Joint Summit Declaration of GMS followed.
Prime Minister General Thein Sein and leaders of GMS countries signed the Joint Summit Declaration of GMS. Apart from the introduction, economic cooperation, ongoing challenges, opportunities and future plans, Mekong region development program (2008-2012) and the conclusion are included in Joint Summit Declaration released by Third Summit of GMS. In the introduction, leaders of Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam reconfirmed their pledge to implement future visions for ensuring unity, prosperity and equality in the subregion. They further made decision on giving pledge work closely together for the peoples to be more prosperous. Moreover, development condition of fruitful results achieved from economic cooperation in Mekong Sub-region, future plans and Mekong Sub-region development program have been stated.-MNA