Senior General Than Shwe sends message of felicitations to Kazakhstan

YANGON, 25 Oct— Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Mr Nursultan A Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which falls on 25 October 2005.

The outcome of the process of reform will be of utmost importance for the world organization in building a more secure world

YANGON, 24 Oct — The following is a translation of the message sent by Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar Senior General Than Shwe to the occasion of the Sixtieth Anniversary of United Nations Day.

“Today is the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. We commemorate United Nations Day every year since its inception in honour of the world Organization which is of crucial importance to the future of humankind.

The United Nations Member States have witnessed the Organization’s achievements in overcoming the various threats and challenges to the people all over the world during the past sixty years. We have also witnessed the Organization’s achievements in safeguarding the noble purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter to maintain international peace and security, and to attain cooperation in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian issues. The membership of the United Nations has nearly quadrupled to 191 states since it was founded. Thus the universality of membership testifies to the legitimacy of the Organization in international relations.

The world is also seeing the Organization’s persevering efforts in facing new challenges and threats of contemporary times which did not exist and could not have been anticipated when the United Nations Charter came into force on October 24 in 1945. These include globalization, environmental degradation, extreme poverty, communicable diseases, terrorism and transnational organized crime.

In order to find solutions to the challenges and threats confronting the international community, the United Nations always seeks the advice, cooperation and recommendations of its Member States, large and small, by convening summits, international and regional conferences in a timely and effective manner.

The United Nations Millennium Declaration was unanimously adopted by the leaders of the entire world at the historic Millennium Summit of the year 2000. The Millennium Development Goals, the road map for the implementation of the Declaration, was also adopted. In the Millennium Development Goals, United Nations Member States have pledged to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, to achieve universal primary education, to promote gender equality and empower women, to reduce child mortality, to improve maternal health, to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, to ensure environmental sustainability, and to develop a global partnership for development.

Five years after the Summit world leaders met again at the high-level meeting of the sixtieth United Nations General Assembly. They reviewed the Millennium Development Goals, rededicated themselves to the Goals and agreed upon to start the ten year countdown to the target 2015.

To fulfill the targets of the Millennium Development Goals, international cooperation and assistance are essential. The gap between developing countries and developed ones is widening because of the negative impacts of globalization. Countries are more interconnected and therefore collective efforts for security and development are more relevant than ever before. The role of the United Nations is therefore more vital than ever.

The world leaders also agreed upon measures to strengthen the United Nations. In fact, Member States have witnessed efforts to strengthen the Organization’s structure in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The United Nations Member States are desirous for changes which can address the interests of all nations. In this regard, all Member States are taking the opportunity to contribute to the process of reform. The outcome of the process of reform will be of utmost importance for the world organization in building a more secure world.

The outcome of the high-level meeting reaffirms the Charter of the United Nations and its principles and purposes, including the principles of State sovereignty, non-interference and the non-use of force in international affairs. These are principles that have withstood the test of time and essential for the maintenance of international peace and security.

Member States place high hope in the United Nations’ efforts to save succeeding generations not only from the scourge of war but also from the new threats and challenges ahead of us and to promote social justice, economic progress and better standards of life.
On this auspicious sixtieth anniversary of United Nations’ Day, let us renew our commitments to the United Nations’ efforts to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of international peace, security and development.”

It is necessary to seriously look into difficulties of developing countries especially the world’s poorest countries

YANGON, 24 Oct — A ceremony to mark the 60th Anniversary United Nations Day was held at the Myanmar Convention Centre on Mindhamma Road in Mayangon Township this evening, with an address by the Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein.

It was also attended by wife of the Secretary-1 Daw Khin Khin Win, Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Lt-Gen Myint Swe and wife, the ministers, the chief justice, the attorney-general, the auditor-general, the chairman of the Civil Service Selection and Training Board, the chairman of Yangon City Development Committee the mayor, the vice-mayor, the deputy ministers and their wives, Dean of Diplomatic Corps Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines Madame Phoebe A Gomez and ambassadors, Charges d’Affaires a.i. of embassies, diplomats, Resident Coordinator of the UN System Mr. Charles James Petrie, Resident Representatives and officials of UN agencies, heads of departments and enterprises concerned, representatives of social associations, local and foreign journalists, winning students of the 60th Anniversary United Nations Day Commemorative Essay, Poster and Painting Competitions and guests.

Secretary-1 delivered an address. He said: At the outset, I wish to express my pleasure at being with you to celebrate the United Nations Day. The United Nations was founded sixty years ago with the determination to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. Today the Anniversary is celebrated with the theme “A Time for Renewal’.

We are inspired by the achievements of the World Organization throughout its long history. When we look back at its record, one cannot deny the vital role of the Organization in international relations. It has served humanity well.

The sixtieth anniversary is a milestone in the Organization’s history. The year 2005 is not only the fifth anniversary of the Millennium Summit, but also the 10th anniversary of the Copenhagen World Summit on Sustainable Development, and the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women.

The anniversaries of these important events remind us of the commitments made by the world leaders. Actually the implementation of the commitments made at different fora are mutually reinforcing.

At the 2005 United Nations Summit, the largest gathering of world leaders in the history of the Organization renewed their commitments to the Charter and the various summit declarations. The 60th Summit Declaration also stressed that reform of the United Nations is imperative.

The Declaration is of crucial importance for the world organization which needs to change in order to adapt to new threats and challenges, and to continue its role as an effective global institution. The success of the process of reform is an important and urgent task for all the member states.

The world leaders assessed the progress made towards the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. Leaders from many developing countries called on their counterparts from developed countries to help them achieve a series of development goals, including reducing poverty and fighting HIV/AIDS. Many countries are of the view that to attain the Millennium Development Goals on time, it is necessary to seriously look into the difficulties of the developing countries especially the world’s poorest countries such as Heavily Indebted Poor Countries which cannot achieve the MDGs because of their heavy external debt burden. Diseases such as the HIV/AIDS pandemic are beyond the control of an individual state and therefore needed to be addressed collectively.

The world leaders also recalled the outcome of the 2002 International Conference on Financing and Development at Monterrey, Mexico. They recognize that national efforts should be complemented by supportive global programmes and policies aimed at maximizing development opportunities to countries.

In Myanmar the National Development Plan, which covers the major aspects of the Millennium Development Goals, is being implemented with a view to achieving economic growth and social progress and in promoting the living standard of the people. Border Areas Development Plan has been carried out since 1989. Special Development Zones are designated to narrow the socio-economic gap among the States and Divisions, and an Integrated Rural Development Plan is laid down for the period of 2001 to 2005. Myanmar agriculture sector, which employs about sixty percent of the total labour force of the country, has great potential to lead socio-economic growth and to reduce poverty.

In Myanmar learning institutions are co-educational. Boys and girls have equal chances to pursue further studies.

The net enrollment ratio in primary education of 84.5% in 2005 is approaching the target 99% in 2015 of the MDGs. The literacy rate of 15-24 years old is 96.5% in 2005. To improve the quality of education teaching methodologies and assessment systems are changed. Teachers training schools have been upgraded to promote the professional skills of teachers.

Since the Women and Child Health Development project was launched in 2001, under-five mortality rate and infant mortality rate are decreasing steadily. The National AIDS Programme has been carried out with the cooperation of WHO and UNAIDS.

To ensure environmental sustainability the Myanmar Forest Policy has been laid down since 1995 and priority is given to maintenance of the area covered by forest which is 52.12% of the total land area.

The Government is also working in close cooperation with the United Nations Agencies to help meet the basic needs at the grass root level and the significant outcome in the health and primary education sectors is very encouraging.

On this auspicious occasion of the anniversary of the United Nations, we renew our commitment to the endeavours of the Organization for the benefit of humankind and pledge to fully cooperate with the Organization.

Next, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Nyan Win read the message from Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar Senior General Than Shwe (reported separately).

Resident Coordinator of the UN System Mr. Charles James Petrie read the message from Mr. Kofi A Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations (reported yesterday in this paper).

Next, Minister U Nyan Win presented first, second, third and consolation prizes of High School Level essay competition to 9th grader Ma Thazin Thet Su Tin of Myoma Basic Education Middle School, Kyauktan Township, 9th grader Maung Aung Myat Htut Oo of No 1 Basic Education High School, Latha Township, 10th grader Ma Khin Thazin Yadana Tun of No 3 Basic Education High School, South Okkalapa Township and 10th grader Ma Zun Zun Yadana of No 1 Basic Education High School, Kyimyindine Township respectively.

Minister for Education Dr Chan Nyein presented first, second, third and consolation prizes of Middle School Level poster competition to 7th grader Ma Aye Myat Thu of No 2 BEHS, Latha Township, 7th grader Ma Su Hlaing Tun of No 4 BEHS, Tamwe Township, 6th grader Maung Htoo Htet Kyaw of Myoma BEHS, Kyauktan Township, 7th grader Maung Si Thu Aung of No 5 BEHS, Tamwe Township respectively.

Resident Coordinator of the UN System Mr. Charles James Petrie presented first, second, third and consolation prizes of Primary School Level painting competition to 4th grader Ma Myat Thondari Moe Myint of No 2 BEHS, Sangyoung Township, 5th grader Ma Eindray Sein Ya Tu of No 2 BEHS, Dagon Township, 3rd grader Maung Mm Thu Khant of No 1 BEHS, Latha Township and 3rd grader Maung Nyan Win of No 18 BEPS, South Okkalapa Township respectively.

The Secretary-1 and guests observed the booth to mark the 60th Anniversary of United Nations Day.

Later, the guests were entertained to a cultural performance by artistes of the Department of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture.

Foreign Minister felicitates Kazakhstan counterpart

YANGON, 25 Oct— U Nyan Win, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations to His Excellency Mr Kasymzhomart K Tokayev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which falls on 25 October 2005.