Daily News- november 03- 2002- Sunday

  • Myanmar exports less teak in first half of 2002
  • Myanmar's marine product export grows sharply in first half of 2002
  • NCGUB denies of any involvement in the recent Letter Bomb threats
  • Myanmar-ASEAN members trade down in first half of 2002
  • China exchanges notes with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar on preferential treatment
  • Burmese delegation leaves for ASEAN summit
  • Probe into letter bombs at Burma missions
  • British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister's telephone conversation with Daw Aung San suu Kyi

    • Myanmar exports less teak in first half of 2002

    YANGON, Nov 2, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Myanmar's teak export dropped 14.3 percent to 132,727 cubic-meters in the first half of 2002 from the same period of last year, according to the latest figures of the state-run Myanmar Timber Enterprise.But its hardwood export grew 48 percent to 220,740 cubic-meters over the reported period.

    Total export earnings from teak and hardwood during the period amounted to 140 million US dollars, of which that from teak accounted for 101 million dollars, or 72.1 percent, for its higher prices despite less export in volume compared with hardwood.Earnings through timber export represented 9.63 percent of the country's total hard currency earning during the period.

    Teak and hardwood are Myanmar's second largest export goods after agricultural products. Myanmar said 75 percent of teak in the world market are produced in the country.Myanmar yielded about 200,000 tons of teak from its forests each year since the 1990s, dropping from about 400,000 tons in the 1970s.

    At present, Myanmar's forest covers 50 percent of its total land area, 7 percent less than that in 1962.The country has planted more than 32,400 hectares of teak since it launched a special teak plantation plan five years ago.

    Myanmar's marine product export grows sharply in first half of 2002

    YANGON, Nov 2, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Myanmar exported 69,000 tons of fish and prawn in the first half of 2002, up 121.86 percent from the same period of last year when 31,100 tons were sold abroad.

    Of the total, fish export accounted for 60,600 tons, or 87.83 percent, while prawn took up 8,400 tons or 12.17 percent, according to the latest figures released by the government's Fisheries Department.

    Export earning through the export of marine products totaled 65. 59 million US dollars during the half-year period, accounting for 4.51 percent of the country's total export earnings.

    In 2001, Myanmar produced 1.37 million tons of fish and prawn and exported 61,000 tons of them during the year, mainly to China and Singapore.There are 120 seafood processing plants in Myanmar, of which 25 are being upgraded to international standard to boost the export.

    Myanmar is rich in fishery resources. The fishery sector is the third mainstay of its economy after agriculture and forestry, contributing 7.3 percent to its gross domestic product and standing as the third largest foreign exchange earner.

    Official statistics show that since Myanmar opened to foreign investment in late 1988, foreign companies have so far injected 197 million dollars on contracts into the country's fishery sector.The annual per capital consumption of fish and prawn by Myanmar people stands about 20 kilograms.

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    NCGUB denies of any involvement in the recent Letter Bomb threats

    Asian Tribune

    The National Council for Burma (NCGUB) in a statement categorically denied of any involvement in the alleged recent letter bombs. The statement put to an end of any lingering suspicions of any pro-democracy movements involvement in such letter bombs. NCGUB said, - firmly opposes terrorist and violent acts.”

    The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) recently announced that its embassies in Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore have become targets of letter bombs and blamed a "dissident terrorist group in Thailand" of masterminding the plot. The mailed device, said to be a "low-grade detonator" but no explosives, was "defused without causing any casualties".

    The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) firmly opposes terrorist and violent acts. However, before accepting the SPDC's allegation, it would be appropriate to recall the so-called "bomb plot" alleged by the Burmese embassy in Tokyo in 1989. Counselor U Tun Ngwe claimed that he found a parcel of explosives that had been thrown into the embassy compound. Upon investigation by the authorities, it turned out that not even the strongest of Japanese policemen could toss a similarly weighted parcel over the embassy wall. When the Japanese police summoned U Tun Ngwe for questioning, the counselor was hastily recalled back to Burma. Instead of being disciplined in any way, U Tun Ngwe later became the Ambassador to Germany.

    There have also been many other occasions where SPDC has blamed members of the democracy movement for terrorist acts, which eventually turned out to be false. With a track record like that and the SPDC's recent attempts to get on board the international anti-terrorist bandwagon, the NCGUB would like to urge the international community to be wary of the SPDC claims until proven otherwise.

    It is interesting to note that Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai on 1 November cast doubts over the origin of letter bombs which the SPDC said were sent from Thailand to three of its embassies this week.

    According to press reports, Surakiart said that Thai military, diplomats and embassy officials in Japan, Malaysia and Singapore would seek permission to inspect the packages. "We have questioned whether the letters were sent from Thailand. If necessary, experts from the Communications Authority of Thailand will be dispatched to verify the postmarks on the letters, we are not sure whether the postmarks are authentic or fake. But for the time being we cannot jump to the conclusion that the action was taken in Thailand," he said.

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    Myanmar-ASEAN members trade down in first half of 2002

    YANGON, Nov. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Myanmar's bilateral trade with five ASEAN states totaled 1,118.12 million US dollars in the first half of 2002, down 14.29 percent from the same period last year, said the latest data published by the Ministry of Commerce.

    The bilateral trade with the five states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines -- accounted for 45.23 percent of Myanmar's total foreign trade during the period, with its imports from these members amounting to 510.19 million dollars, down 31.63percent, while its exports to them reaching 607.93 million dollars,up 8.87 percent.

    Myanmar enjoyed a favorable balance of 97.74 million dollars inits bilateral trade with ASEAN members during the six-month period,striking such a balance of the regional trade for the first time since the present government took office in late 1988.

    Of Myanmar's bilateral trade with the five ASEAN member nationsduring the period, that with Thailand accounted for the highest volume with 579.66 million dollars or 23.45 percent of the country's total foreign trade of 2,471.87 million dolars, followed by that with Singapore (338.26 million or 13.68 percent), Malaysia (118.59 million or 4.79 percent), Indonesia (78.89 million or 3.19 percent) and the Philippines (2.72 million or 0.11 percent).

    China exchanges notes with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar on preferential treatment

    PHNOM PENH, Nov 3, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Chinese Minister of Trade and Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng Sunday exchanged notes with ministers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar on China's provision of preferential treatment to the three Southeast Asian countries.

    The exchange of notes, which took place during Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji's current official visit to Cambodia, was signed by Shi Guangsheng, Cambodian Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh, Laotian Vice-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Somsavat Lengsavad and Myanmar Minister of the State Peace and Development Chairman's Office David Abel.

    Under the document, China will levy zero tariffs on some products exported to China by the three countries starting on Jan. 1, 2004.

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    Burmese delegation leaves for ASEAN summit

    Source : Japan Today

    Rangoon — Burma junta leader Gen Than Shwe left for Cambodia on Sunday to attend a series of high-level meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that opens later in the day in Phnom Penh.

    Than Shwe, chairman of the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), leads the 35-member delegation. SPDC secretary Gen. Khin Nyunt, Foreign Minister Win Aung, and Brig Gen David Abel, the SPDC chairman's office minister, are among the delegation members.

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    Probe into letter bombs at Burma missions

    Source : Bangkok Post

    Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has told diplomats to investigate the source of letter bombs posted from Thailand that were received at Burmese embassies in Japan, Malaysia and Singapore over the past week.

    The Burmese embassy in Singapore recently called in the bomb squad to destroy a letter with a Thai postmark that contained a small detonator.

    Burma has blamed dissidents living in exile after similar letters turned up at its missions in Japan and Malaysia.

    Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said he would cooperate with Rangoon in investigating the incidents.

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    British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister's telephone conversation with Daw Aung San suu Kyi

    Source : British Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Foreign Office Minister Mike O’Brien telephoned Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma on 1 November.

    Following the call Mike O'Brien said:

    'I spoke today with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the Burmese democracy movement and Nobel Prize winner. I told her of the UK's admiration of her brave contribution to the cause of democracy in Burma. I emphasised the UK's continuing concern about the situation in Burma, with more political arrests, ongoing human rights violations and continued violence in Burma's ethnic minority areas. This concern is demonstrated in the renewal on 21 October of the EU's Common Position on Burma and reflects the lack of substantive political progress there.

    'I explained that the UK and our EU partners are united in the view that the Burmese military authorities need to take urgent and concrete steps, in particular the opening of substantive dialogue with her, if credibility in the political process is to be maintained.

    'Later this month the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy to Burma, Tan Sri Razali Ismail intends to visit Burma. I believe that it is important that he is once again able to meet with Senior General Than Shwe. It is important that the military authorities use the opportunity of Tan Sri Razali’s visit to take clear and substantive steps towards the return of civilian rule.

    'Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told me of her concerns about the continued decline in the economy and the problems this was causing for the Burmese people. She believed the only way forward was to move towards a democratic and accountable government as quickly as possible. There was a need for urgent progress. She said that politics couldn't be divorced from economics. It was not possible to simply concentrate on the economy without making the necessary political changes. She also stressed the importance of education for young people in Burma to allow them to obtain employment.

    'At the end of the call, I told Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of the strong support of the British people for the cause of Burmese democracy and for her personally. She acknowledged this saying that the Burmese people were grateful for the support of the UK, the European Union and the wider international community.'

    Notes for Editors

    1. The Europeans Union Common Position on Burma contains: an arms embargo; bans on the supply of equipment which could be used for internal repression or terrorism; defence links; non-humanitarian aid; high-level visit; and a visa ban and asset freeze on members of the regime.

    2. The European Commission suspended Burma’s trading privileges in 1997 due to concern about forced labour in Burma and the UK does not encourage trade, investment and tourism in Burma.

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