Senior General Than Shwe sees off PM General Soe Win on his departure for Thailand to attend 2nd ACMECS

YANGON, 1 Nov— At the invitation of Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand , General Soe Win, Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar, and party left for Bangkok , Thailand , to attend the 2nd Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit .

Myanmar delegation led by Prime Minister General Soe Win was seen off at Yangon International Airport by Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe, Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Maung Aye, Member of the State Peace and Development Council General Thura Shwe Mann of the Ministry of Defence, Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein, members of the State Peace and Development Council, the Commander-in-Chief (Navy), the Commander-in-Chief (Air), the Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council the Commander of Yangon Command, ministers, senior military officers, Charge d' Affairs ai of the Embassy of Thailand Mr Opas Chantarasap and embassy staff, departmental heads and officials.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Nyan Win and heads of department.

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Prime Minister General Soe Win and party arrive Bangkok of Thailand

YANGON, 4 Nov — At the invitation of Prime Minister Dr Thaksin Shinawatra of Thailand, Prime Minister General Soe Win of the Union of Myanmar, accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs U Nyan Win, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha and departmental heads, left Yangon by special flight at 2 pm on 1 November to attend the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit to be held in Bangkok, Thailand.

Prime Minister General Soe Win and party arrived at Dunmong International Airport in Bangkok , Thailand , at 4 pm local time.

First, Ambassador of the Union of Myanmar to Thailand U Ye Win and Director-General Mr Phithak Phrombupha of Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand welcomed Prime Minister General Soe Win on board the aircraft.

When the Myanmar delegation led by the Prime Minister alighted from the plane, Thai Minister for Defence General Thammarak Isarangura Na Ayuthaya, Thai Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Suphot Dhirakaosal and senior officials welcomed them. A Myanmar young lady presented a bouquet to Prime Minister General Soe Win.

Next, Myanmar Ambassador U Ye Win and wife Daw Ei Ei Khaing, Military Attaché Col Tin Soe and wife Daw San San Win, staff of

the Embassy and the Military Attaché's Office and family members welcomed the Prime Minister and party.

Afterwards, the Myanmar delegation led by Prime Minister General Soe Win left in a motorcade for Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Hotel in Thailand .

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Prime Minister meets with staff of Myanmar Embassy in Thailand

YANGON, 4 Nov — Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar General Soe Win met with embassy staff at Myanmar Embassy in Thailand on 2 November evening.

At the meeting, the prime minister said Myanmar has promoted mutual trust, respect, sympathy and friendship with other nations and is making efforts to enhance cordial relations with them while striving to expand mutual cooperation with added momentum. Hence, the nation is achieving success in expanding her scope of international relations.

Myanmar can still firmly stand with dignity thanks to the stand, sympathy and understanding of friendly nations despite the pressures of some quarters with unclear view on Myanmar .

Under the leadership of the Head of State, Myanmar has achieved development in education, health and social fields as well as economic growth in addition to progress in international affairs. The government has been building infrastructures that are necessary for development of the country, he added.

In his concluding remarks, the prime minister said, the staff of the embassy are to enhance their efforts to extend cooperation in various fields and to strengthen existing friendly relations with Thailand .

After the meeting, Prime Minister General Soe Win cordially greeted the staff of the embassy and presented gifts to them.

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All member nations expressed unanimous voice at Bagan Summit Implementation of ongoing work programmes to be speeded up by reviewing work performed in past two years Regional cooperation and national level cooperation effective ways to narrow development gap among nations

YANGON, 4 Nov—Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar General Soe Win delivered an address at the opening of Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit held at the Yellow Room of the Santi Maitri Building in Bangkok, Thailand, on 3 November morning.

Present on the occasion were Cambodian Prime Minister Mr Samdech Hun Sen, Laotian Prime Minister Mr Bounnhang Vorachith, Myanmar Prime Minister General Soe Win, Thai Prime Minister Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, Vietnamese Prime Minister Mr Phan Van Khai, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Nyan Win, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Myanmar Ambassador to Thailand U Ye Win, Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office Col Thant Shin, heads of department, the ministers, the deputy ministers and high-ranking officials from Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, foreign ambassadors to Thailand, and guests.

The ministers, deputy ministers and high-ranking officials and guests arrived at Santi Maitri Building starting from 8 am local time.

Prime Minister General Soe Win arrived at the Santi Maitri Building in Bangkok at 8.55 pm. Thai Prime Minister Dr Thaksin Shinawatra welcomed the prime ministers.

The opening ceremony of the Summit was held at Santi Maitri Building . The State Flag of Vietnam was hoisted in honour of its membership of ACMECS.

Prime Minister General Soe Win posed for documentary photos together with Cambodian, Laotian, Thai and Vietnamese prime ministers.

The video tape featuring the establishment of the ACMECS and efforts of the member countries for economic development was screened to the attendees.

The Thai prime minister gave an introductory speech.

Next, Cambodian Prime Minister Mr Samdech Hun Sen and Laotian Prime Minister Mr Bounnhang Vorachith delivered addresses.

Prime Minister General Soe Win in his speech said that he was pleased with the 2nd Summit held with the aim to effectively implement the work programmes of ACMECS.

Myanmar was proud to successfully host the ACMECS Summit in Bagan , Myanmar , in November 2003.

The laying down of Bagan declaration and future tasks represented the major achievement of the Bagan Summit. All the member nationss expressed unanimous voice at Bagan Summit to take measures for regional cooperation in the region extensively and effectively.

The implementation of ongoing work programmes is to be speeded up by reviewing the work performed in the past two years, at this meeting. Member countries are to make efforts to be able to accomplish the work programmes at both national level and regional level.

Thailand 's offer to host the 2nd ACMECS Summit depicted its enthusiasm to achieve the objectives of the ACMECS. He expressed his belief that the Summit will be able to formulate the work programmes that can yield fruitful results for raising the standard of living of the peoples of the five member nations.

The members had been able to join hands in the previous two years for speedy implementation of ACMECS work programmes. However, success was not achieved as much as expected. It is therefore required to lay down proper methods through which work programmes can be carried out pragmatically.

In the process, the tasks should be launched through cooperation and effective use of particular qualities and natural resources of each member.

He said encouragement is to be given to government organizations and private sector to participate in the tasks for successful implementation of the objectives. Partner countries are to be invited to take part in the tasks, he said.

Regional cooperation and national level cooperation are effective ways to narrow the development gap among the nations. Myanmar takes responsibility for successful implementation of agriculture and industrial cooperation as a leading coordinator.

The first meeting of the working committee formed for agriculture and industrial sectors was successfully held in Myanmar last year.

Myanmar welcomed an energy sufficiency plan to be laid down among the ACMECS member nations. Priority is given to generating of hydel electric power for the supply of sufficient energy first. In order to reduce dependence on the energy obtained from outside alternative sources are to be sought, he added.

Myanmar is ready to cooperate with ACMECS member nations for sufficiency of energy in the sub-region. New diseases such as Avian flu, SARS, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria are greatly threatening the lives of mankind and economic development. As preventive measures are undertaken nationwide, there are no avian influenza and SARS cases in Myanmar .

If ACMECS lays down the tasks to fight against these diseases, Myanmar is also ready to participate in those tasks, he added. Efforts are to be made for transformation of border trade to normal trade among the ACMECS member nations. It is necessary to lay down a plan to use contract system in agriculture in both border areas and inner parts of the country in accord with the law and rules, he said.

Myanmar is ready to accept airlines of ACMECS members to fly to the country for extension of aviation.

Cooperative efforts are to be made for tourism development and human resource development. He said he believed all the nations would be prosperous by working together. After, Prime Minister of SRV Mr Phan Van Khai delivered a speech, the opening of Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit ended.

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Prime Minister General Soe Win, Heads of Government of ACMECS member countries pay courtesy call on King Bhumibol Adulyadej

YANGON, 5 Nov — Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar General Soe Win who attended the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, together with Cambodian Prime Minister Mr Samdech Hun Sen, Laotian Prime Minister Mr Bounnhang Vorachith, Thai Prime Minister Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Mr Phan Van Khai left Bangkok on 3 November evening for Hua Hin.

The Prime Ministers paid a courtesy call on His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej at Klai Kangwol Palace in Hua Hin. Prime Minister General Soe Win joins Second Informal ACMECS Summit

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Declaration of the summit, and cooperation in combating avian influenza signed Third ACMECS summit will take place in Vietnam in 2007

YANGON, 5 Nov — Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar General Soe Win attended the Second Informal Summit of the heads of government of four other member states of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit at Ivory Room of Thai Koo Fah Building in Bangkok, Thailand at 10 am on 3 November.

It was attended by Cambodian Prime Minister Mr Samdech Hun Sen, Laotian Prime Minister Mr Bounnhang Vorachith, Thai Prime Minister Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, Vietnamese Prime Minister Mr Phan Van Khai, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Nyan Win, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, ministers concerned and senior officers of Cambodia , Laos , Thailand and Vietnam .

They discussed promotion of trade and investment, cooperation in agriculture and industrial sectors, extension of transport services among member countries, enhancement of tourism industry, energy sufficiency, extended production of bio-fuel, development of human resources, cooperation in measures to be taken against bird flu and other diseases, exchange of views on organizing the Third ACMECS Summit, and preparations for issuing the declaration of the Second ACMECS Summit.

The summit went to recess at 12 noon. They had lunch at Purple Room.

The summit resumed at 1.30 pm. They attended the ceremony to sign the declaration of the summit, and cooperation in combating avian influenza, at Santi Maitri Building .

Cambodian Prime Minister Mr Samdech Hun Sen, Laotian Prime Minister Mr Bounnhang Vorachith, Prime Minister of Myanmar General Soe Win, Thai Prime Minister Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Mr Phan Van Khai signed the Declaration of Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit, and Declaration on Partnership in Combating Avian Influenza and Other Infectious Diseases.

The Thai Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Hor Namhong inked an agreement on visa between the Thai Government and the Cambodian Government.

The summit came to an end successfully at 2 pm.

The declaration warmly welcomed Vietnam 's first participation in the functions of ACMECS Summit. "We agreed on the importance of taking a forward-looking approach in our cooperation in order to lay a strong foundation for meeting the future needs of our region," the declaration said. Areas of high priority include trade, investment, as well as agricultural, industrial, transport, tourism industry, human resources development, public health, information and communication technology and energy cooperation. Ways and means are to be sought for undertaking these tasks conveniently. Leaders of the five countries also welcomed Vietnam 's offer to host the next ACMECS summit and unanimously agreed that the third ACMECS summit would take place in Vietnam in 2007.

In the Declaration on Partnership in Combating Avian Influenza and Other Infectious Diseases, a concerted and closely co-ordinated regional effort are to be made at all levels to prevent and stem the spread of newly emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, in particular avian influenza, as well as HIV/AIDS, and other diseases.

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Prime Minister General Soe Win leaves Bangkok after attending ACMECS Summit

YANGON, 5 Nov — A Myanmar delegation led by Prime Minister General Soe Win arrived at Dunmong International Airport in Bangkok at 7 pm on 3 November to leave for Yangon of Myanmar after attending the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit held in Bangkok .

The Myanmar delegation led by Prime Minister General Soe Win was seen off at the airport by Thai Minister for Defence General Thammarak Isarangura Na Ayutthaya, Thai Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Suphot Dhirakaosal and senior officers, Myanmar Ambassador U Ye Win, Military Attaché Col Tin Soe and staff. The Myanmar delegation left Thailand by special flight at 8 pm local time, and arrived back here at 9.05 pm.

Minister for Foreign Affairs U Nyan Win, who accompanied the Myanmar delegation to the ACMECS Summit, attended the Foreign Ministers Meeting at Vithes Samosorn of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok at 10.30 am on 2 November. Also present at the meeting were Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Hor Namhong, Laotian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Somsavat Lengsavad, the Thai Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Vietnamese Minister for Foreign Affairs, and senior officers.

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Senior General Than Shwe welcomes back General Soe Win who attended ACMECS Summit

YANGON, 4 Nov — The Myanmar delegation led by Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar General Soe Win arrived back here by special flight at 9.05 pm yesterday after attending the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit held in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Myanmar delegation led by Prime Minister General Soe Win was welcomed back at Yangon International Airport by Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe, Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Maung Aye, Member of the State Peace and Development Council General Thura Shwe Mann of the Ministry of Defence, Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein, members of the State Peace and Development Council, the Commander-in-Chief (Navy), the Commander-in-Chief (Air), the Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command, ministers, senior military offices, Charge d'Affaires ai of the Thai Embassy Mr Opas Chantarasap, departmental heads and officials.

Members of the delegation Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Nyan Win and departmental heads also arrived back on the same flight. Importance of close cooperation of the ACMECS members for their goods to gain a foothold in international market, and economic development stressed.