Emergence of the State Constitution is the duty of all citizens of Myanmar Naing-Ngan.

Established 1914

Volume XV, Number 308 12th Waxing of Tabodwe 1369 ME Monday, 18 February, 2008

Message from His Excellency Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace andDevelopment Council of the Union of Myanmar, to His Excellency Mr Vladimir V Putin,President of the Russian Federation.Excellency,

On the auspicious occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of DiplomaticRelations between the Union of Myanmar and the Russian Federation, I have great pleasure inextending to Your Excellency, and through you to the people of the Russian Federation, ourheartfelt congratulations and best wishes.

The Union of Myanmar and the Russian Federation have maintained friendly relationssince we established diplomatic relations in 1948. The bonds of friendship and cooperation betweenour two countries have flourished over the past six decades.

In this new millennium there are many challenges that both our countries have to face. Itis our sincere desire to jointly work with the Russian Federation in resolving the common challengesbilaterally as well as multilaterally, in the spirit of mutual understanding, confidence and activecooperation. I firmly believe that our common endeavours would assist us in our quest for peace,security and prosperity not only among us but also the region as a whole.

May I take this opportunity to convey my personal best wishes for Your Excellency’s goodhealth and success and for the continued progress and prosperity of the Russian Federation.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Myanmar and Russian Heads of State, Heads ofGovernment and Foreign Ministers exchange felicitationson occasion of Sixtieth Anniversary of Establishment of

Diplomatic Relations between Myanmar and RussiaNAY PYI TAW, 18 Feb—On the occasion of the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Union of Myanmar and the

Russian Federation, the following messages of felicitations were exchanged between the Heads of State, the Heads of Government and the Ministers for ForeignAffairs of the two countries.

Message from His Excellency Mr Vladimir V Putin, Presi-dent of the Russian Federation to His Excellency SeniorGeneral Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace andDevelopment Council of the Union of Myanmar.Esteemed Mr Chairman,

Please accept sincere congratulations on the occasionof the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of DiplomaticRelations between the Russian Federation and the Union ofMyanmar.

These six decades were marked by true friendship,mutual respect and multidimensional cooperation. I am confi-dent that fruitful interaction will be the basis for further devel-opment of bilateral relations, broadening of contacts andstrengthening of mutual understanding between the peoples ofour multinational countries.

I wish you, Mr Chairman, good health and success inimplementation of large-scale political changes, as well aswell-being and prosperity to all citizens of Myanmar.

(See page 2)

NAY PYI TAW, 17 Feb — Prime Minister GeneralThein Sein accompanied by Maj-Gen Khin Zaw of theMinistry of Defence, ministers, deputy ministers anddepartmental heads left here by air for Sittway yesterday

Prime Minister General Thein Sein inspectsregional development tasks in Rakhine StatePeople of Rakhine State to strive for development of the whole state makinguse of natural resources plus good opportunities created by the government

Prime Minister General Thein Sein inspects runway of Sittway Airport.—MNA

morning and arrived at Sittway Airport at 9.15 am.Prime Minister General Thein Sein and party were

welcomed at the airport by Chairman of Rakhine StatePeace and Development Council Commander of West-

ern Command Maj-Gen Maung Shein, Brig-Gen ThanTun Aung of Sittway Station, senior military officersand departmental heads.

(See page 8)

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM1

2 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008

PERSPECTIVES* Oppose those relying on external elements, acting as stooges, holding negative views* Oppose those trying to jeopardize stability of the State and progress of the nation* Oppose foreign nations interfering in internal affairs of the State* Crush all internal and external destructive elements as the common enemy

People’s DesireMonday, 18 February, 2008

Strive for perpetualexistence of flora and fauna

Message from His Excellency General Thein Sein,Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar to HisExcellency Mr Viktor Zubkov, Prime Minister of theRussian FederationExcellency,

On the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of theEstablishment of Diplomatic Relations between theUnion of Myanmar and the Russian Federation, I havethe pleasure to extend, on behalf of the Government ofthe Union of Myanmar and on my own, warm congratu-lations and best wishes to Your Excellency and throughyou, to the Government and people of the RussianFederation.

Over the past 60 years since the establishmentof diplomatic relations between our two countries, wehave been able to maintain friendly relations based onmutual understanding and cooperation.

We look forward to working closely with YourExcellency to further consolidate and develop the exist-ing friendly relations through frequent contacts andexchange of visits between leaders of our two countriesas well as officials at various levels and to enhancecooperation in the areas of mutual interests in the spiritof equality and mutual benefit.

We are confident that the existing ties of friend-ship nurtured and maintained between our two countrieswill be further strengthened in the years to come.

Please accept, Excellency, the renewed assur-ances of my highest consideration.

Message from His Excellency Mr Viktor Zubkov,

Prime Minister of the Russian Federation to His

Excellency General Thein Sein, Prime Minister of

the Union of Myanmar

Esteemed Mr Prime Minister,

Please accept my sincere congratulations

on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the

Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between

the Russian Federation and the Union of

Myanmar.

I highly appreciate the years of experi-

ence of fruitful cooperation between our coun-

tries in various fields. I hope for continuation of

close interaction between the Governments of

Russia and Myanmar with aim of further enhanc-

ing and diversification of Russia-Myanmar rela-

tions, especially in trade and investment sectors,

for the well-being and prosperity of Russian and

Myanmar people.

I wish you, Mr Prime Minister, good

health, personal happiness and success in your

important position.

Message from His Excellency U Nyan Win, Minis-ter for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar toHis Excellency Mr Sergey V Lavrov, Minister ofForeign Affairs of the Russian FederationExcellency,

On this auspicious occasion of the 60th Anni-versary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relationsbetween the Union of Myanmar and the RussianFederation, I would like to convey to Your Excellencymy sincere best wishes and warmest felicitations.

For the past 60 years, successive nationalleaders have maintained friendly relations based onmutual understanding and cooperation. It is ourbounden duty to continue with utmost efforts topromote the relations existing between the two coun-tries.

I am fully convinced that this memorableevent will generate momentum to elevate the existingcordial and cooperative relations between our twocountries to a higher level on a firm basis of truefriendship, mutual respect and profound understand-ing.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances ofmy highest consideration.

Message from His Excellency Mr Sergey V Lavrov,Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federa-tion to His Excellency U Nyan Win, Minister forForeign Affairs of the Union of MyanmarEsteemed Mr Minister,

I cordially congratulate you on the occa-sion of the 60th Anniversary of the Establishmentof Diplomatic Relations between the Russian Fed-eration and the Union of Myanmar.

I am glad to acknowledge the substantialcontribution that our foreign services traditionallymake to strengthen historical friendly ties betweenour countries and nations. I am confident that thefurther deepening of our interaction in all direc-tions, and on international arena as well meets theinterests of people of Russia and Myanmar and con-stitutes as important aspect of safeguarding peaceand security in Asia-Pacific Region.

I wish you, Mr Minister, good health, well-being and success in your important activity for thegood of Myanmar people.

MNA

Myanmar and Russian Heads of State, Heads of Government…(from page 1)

Myanmar is blessed with bio-diversity.A wide array of bio-diversity can be found onsnowcapped mountains in the far northernregion of Myanmar, in the central Yomaforests and the waters of the nation.

The existence of mountains, lands andnatural forests contributes a lot to wildlife,flora and fauna and marine resources.Systematic measures are being taken forconservation of natural resources such asforests, lands and minerals.

Deforestation is a major factor causingglobal climate change. It has resulted in soildeprivation, floods and desertification.

Nowadays, the government is strivingfor conservation of forests in order to bringabout a balanced environment. As a result,there has emerged over 60,000 square milesof reserve forests, protected public forestsand sanctuaries.

In the meantime, efforts are beingmade for greening of Bago Yoma and the aridzone of Upper Myanmar with the extendedestablishment of forest plantations andsanctuaries.

As the government is stepping up itsefforts for greening of 13 districts forests arenow thriving in different parts of the zone.

The public should be well aware ofthe fact that the excessive use of forest productsplus environmental pollution could causeadverse effects on the perpetual existence ofbio-diversity.

Just as natural resources areindispensable for human beings it isincumbent upon the entire national people tocontinue conserving forests, endangeredspecies and flora and fauna. Only then, willthe drive for perpetual existence of naturalresources meet with success.

Players ofFilipino

andFurious

competingin men’sevent of

basketballtournament.

NLM

YANGON, 17 Feb — The Horizon LeagueBasketball Tournament for 2007-08 jointly organizedby Myanmar Basketball Federation and HorizonInternational Education Center continued atKyaikkasan Gymnasium here this afternoon.

In the competitions, WHO passed throughShadows 20-0 points; Blue Boy won over Last Vampire

Horizon League BasketballTournament continues

60-35; and Filipino was defeated 66-80 by Furious.In the men’s event, KKS stood top on the table

with five wins in five matches, Cow Boy and Red Starfour wins in four matches each.

In the women’s event, Kandawglay and Skytied at the top position with two wins in two matches.

The tournament continues on 24 February.—MNA

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18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM2

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008 3

Death toll of suicide attack inPakistan’s tribal area rises to 46

Explosion occurs at a Aucklandrestaurant

Malaysian riot police firetear gas during a rally inKuala Lumpur, Malay-sia, on 16 Feb, 2008.Malaysian police firedtear gas and chemical-laced water to break upan illegal rally Saturdayby ethnic Indiansdemanding for racialequality ahead of general elections. — INTERNET

Kenyans from the

Kikuyu tribe shelter

inside the police

station in Kisumu,

Kenya, as they fear

for their lives on 15

Feb, 2008.

INTERNET

Democrats accuse Bush offanning terrorism fears

Tanzanians hold placards as they demonstrate onthe streets of Dar es Salaam, on 15 Feb,

2008. —INTERNET

Tanzanians demonstrate against Bush visit

WASHINGTON, 17 Feb— Democrats accused USPresident Bush on Satur-day of fanning terrorismfears shamelessly as hewas about to lose certainauthority to wiretapforeign suspects without acourt warrant.

Bush, for his part,flailed the Democratic-controlled House ofRepresentatives for whathe called putting USsecurity at risk for politicalmotives in an election year.

The Democraticleaders of the House andSenate, responding to aRepublican blitz on theissue, said there should beno question in anyone’smind that US intelligenceagencies retained the rightto take “all actionsnecessary to protect” USsecurity. “For anyone to

suggest otherwise isirresponsible and totallyinaccurate,” SenateDemocratic leader HarryReid of Nevada and HouseSpeaker Nancy Pelosi ofCalifornia said in a jointstatement.

Senator SheldonWhitehouse of RhodeIsland, in the DemocraticParty response to Bush'sweekly radio address,added, “We know this

President dislikescompromise, but this timehe has taken his stubbornapproach too far.”

“He is whipping upfalse fears, and creatingartificial confrontation,”said Whitehouse, a formerfederal prosecutor andRhode Island attorneygeneral who serves on theSenate intelligence andjudiciary committees.

MNA/Reuters

WELLINGTON, 17 Feb — An explosionat an Auckland restaurant causedfurniture and debris to be strewn acrossthe road early Sunday morning, NewZealand police said.

Police said the explosion, at CafeHasan Baba restaurant in the Aucklandsuburb of Howick, occurred just after

3:00 am local time (1400 GMT Saturday).No one was injured in the explosion orresulting fire.

Furniture was spread over a nearbystreet and cemetery.

Fire safety officers wereinvestigating the cause of the explosionand fire.—Internet

ISLAMABAD, 17 Feb —The death toll of a suicideattack in northwesternPakistan's tribal area hasrisen to 46 on Sunday,local TV channel DAWNNEWS reported.

The explosion tookplace near the electionoffice of an independentcandidate in Parachinar ofKurram tribal agencySaturday, the report said,adding that 46 people werekilled and over 100 othersinjured in the attack.

The government hasimposed curfew and

DAR-ES-SALAAM, 17Feb — About 2,000Tanzanians marchedthrough Tanzania’scapital on Friday andburned US flags inprotest against a visitby President George WBush.

Chanting “Bush isan oil thief” and “evilis not a foreign policy”,the demonstrators, triedto march from thecity’s centre to the USEmbassy on i tsnorthern outskirts.

They werediverted to open groundby a small force of

police but tore downUS flags erected forBush’s visi t thisweekend and burnedthem.

The police did not

intervene and there wasno violence. Theprotesters chanted“Who is a terrorist?Bush”.

MNA/Reuters

Village defence volunteer killed inThai South

BANGKOK, 17 Feb — Avillage defence volunteerwas killed apparently byinsurgents inside a teashopin Thailand’s southernborder province of PattaniSaturday morning.

Maduanwar Dohing,32, was killed inside ateashop in Phormingvillage of Panare district at7:00 am (2400 GMT),according to local

newspaper The Nation’swebsite.

Police were quoted assaying that two men arrivedon a motorcycle andopened fire at Maduanwar,a village defence volunteer,and fled on the motorcycle.

Also on Saturdaymorning, a suspectedinsurgent was injuredduring a gunfight withsoldiers in Narathiwat

Province. The shootingoccurred when about 50soldiers searched theprovince’s Borngo villagefor suspects.

When the soldiersapproached a house, aboutfive armed men ran outand fired at the soldiers.After the insurgentsretreated, soldiers found asuspect left behind.

MNA/Xinhua

People gatherat the site of a

suicide carbomb attack

in Parachaniron 16 Feb,

2008.INTERNET

deployed army tomaintain order inParachinar after thesuicide attack occurred.

The political agent ofKurram Agency ZaheerulIslam was quoted by theAssociated Press ofPakistan as saying that the

bomb was plantedin a car parked outsidethe election office ofnational assembly candi-date Riaz Hussain Shah.He was addressing anelection meeting insidethe office when the blastoccurred. —Internet

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM3

4 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008

Pakistan police arrest anothersuspect in Bhutto case

DPRK urges US to withdrawforces from South Korea

Lack of kit blamedfor British soldier’s death

Protests over rape case continue in Okinawa

LONDON, 16 Feb — ABritish soldier died afterbeing sent into combat inAfghanistan with a lack ofbasic equipment, a coronersaid on Friday.

Captain JamesPhilippson of sevenParachute Regiment RoyalHorse Artillery was shotin the head in a gunfightwith the Taleban in June2006. The 29-year-oldfrom Hertfordshire was the

first casualty after troopswere deployed to theviolent souther province ofHelmand, where theTaleban remains strong.

Assistant coroner forOxfordshire AndrewWalker said he died afteran unforgiveable “breachof trust between thesoldiers and those whogovern them”.

The inquest at Oxfordheard that troops had

repeatedly complainedabout a lack of properequipment, in particularstandard night-vision kits.

Four kits had to beshared between as many as30 men, the inquest heard.

The Taleban werearmed with multiplerocket-propelled grenadelaunchers and otherfirepower, it heard.“They(the soldiers) were defeatednot by the terrorists but bythe lack of basic equip-ment,” Walker was quotedby the BBC as saying atthe end of the inquest.

He said sending troopsinto a combat zone withoutbasic kit was “unforgive-able and inexcusable”, headded. —MNA/Reuters

ISLAMABAD, 16 Feb —Pakistani police arrestedon Friday another suspectin connection with theassassination of formerprime minister BenazirBhutto, a senior policeinvestigator said.

“Yes, we have arresteda suspect and we areinterrogating him,” saidthe investigator, whodeclined to be identified.

He identified the

suspect as Abdul Rashidbut declined to givefurther details.

Private Geo Televisionsaid Rashid was suspectedof providing “arms andammunition” to thoseinvolved in the attack onBhutto.

The two-time primeminister was killed in agun and bomb attack inthe city of Rawalpindi on27 December as she left

an election rally. Television footage

showed a man firing threeshots from a pistol atBhutto moments before abomb went off.

Pakistani and USintelligence officials haveblamed Baitullah Mehsud,an al-Qaeda-linked militantcommander based in atribal region on the Afghanborder, for the assassi-nation.—MNA/Reuters

TOKYO, 16 Feb —Protests over a USMarine’s rape of a minorgirl in Okinawa Prefecturecontinued Friday on thesouthern Japanese island,with nine local municipalassemblies passingresolution condemningthe heinous crime.

The assembly ofFutenma, where thelargest US air force basein the Far East is located,demanded a quick findingof truth of the case andserious punishment for thecriminal, according to

Japanese media. It also requested the

US forces to apologize toand compensate thevictim, and take effectivemeasures to fundamen-tally prevent similarincidents from happeningagain.

Up to now, a total of16 local assemblies haspassed documents con-demning the case.

Representatives of theOkinawa PrefecturalAssembly gathered infront of a US military basein central Okinawa,

demanding improvedmoral education andstricter discipline for thetroops. In a statementreleased earlier in the day,the Okinawa LawyersAssociation asked theJapanese and the USGovernment come up withswift and concrete plan forthe realignment andreduction of Okinawa-based US forces, and takeradical measures toprevent fatal crimesinvolving US militarypersonnel.

MNA/Xinhua

US university shootingdeath toll rises to seven

WASHINGTON, 16 Feb — One more person injuredin the shooting rampage at Northern IllinoisUniversity (NIU) has died in hospital, bringing thetotal number of those killed to seven, the authoritiessaid Friday.

The shooting took place shortly after 3 pm (2100GMT) Thursday when the gunman, a young, Whitemale all dressed in black, walked out from behind ascreen in a geology class taking place in 600-seatlecture hall and opened fire, the university’spresident, John Peters, told a Press conference.

The gunman fired 20 to 30 shots at the some 160students sitting in the hall before killing himself, hesaid. — MNA/Xinhua

PYONGYANG, 16 Feb —The Democratic People’sRepublic of Korea(DPRK) Friday criticizedthe United States fordeploying its ArmedForces in South Korea,and urged Washington towithdraw its troops fromthe Korean Peninsula assoon as possible.

“The US forces’presence in South Koreaposes an actual danger to

ensuring peace on theKorean Peninsula,” said acommentary filed by theofficial Korean CentralNews Agency (KCNA).

“If the United Statestruly wants peace andstability on the KoreanPeninsula, it had bettermake a bold decision topull its forces out of SouthKorea at an early date asthis is a touchstone forshowing its will for

peace,” the commentaryadded. Around 28,000 UStroops are stationed inSouth Korea in a legacy ofthe 1950-53 Korean War,leaving the two Koreastechnically in a state ofconflict.

The number ofAmerican troops is set todecline to 25,000 by 2008as part of the Pentagon’sworldwide realignment ofits forces.—MNA/Xinhua

A woman from theKikuyu tribe, displaced

during post-electionviolence, carries ahatchet at a police

station in Bahati, on theoutskirts of Nakuru,

west of Nairobi, on 15Feb, 2008. —INTERNET

A dragon

made of

flowers

decorates

a float

in the annual

Flower Festival

parade in

Chiang Mai,

Thailand,

on 4 Feb,

2008.

INTERNET

A protest against the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl in Japan’s southernisland of Okinawa. Japanese prosecutors have said they expected to keep a USMarine in detention for over two weeks more before deciding whether to bring

charges over allegations he raped a girl of 14.—INTERNET

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM4

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008 5

US food sales to Cuba hit new peak in 2007

China-Czech bilateral tradesurges 61.9% in 2007

Workers prepare abanner ahead of the

Singapore Airshow inSingapore on 15 Feb,2008. The Singapore

aviation event, billed asthe world’s secondlargest in size after

Paris but smaller thanothers such as Dubaiin terms of orders, is

seen as a way forplanemakers to getaccess to the fast-

growing Asia-Pacificaviation industry. Theshow will run from 19-

24 Feb. —INTERNET

Thousands of jobseekers crowd into the Spring job fair held in ChinaInternational Exhibition Centre in Beijing on 16 Feb, 2008. The job fair

offers over 20 thousands positions. —INTERNET

A woman with her baby in arms looks at a lanterndisplayed on a square in Fuzhou, capital of southChinaís Fujian Province on 16 Feb, 2008. —INTERNET

US economy “on the edge”of a recession

BEIJING, 17 Feb —Bilateral trade volumebetween China and theCzech Republic rocketed61.9 per cent year on yearto 9.9 billion US dollars,Petr Vavra, the CzechEmbassy in Beijing’scommercial and economicsection head, told Xinhuaon Friday.

The Czech Republic

imported goods fromChina equaling 9.2 billionUS dollars in 2007, up61.1 per cent comparedwith 2006. This figureaccounted for 7.8 per centof the total Czech importsvolume.

“China has become anincreasingly importantCzech’s supplier ofmachinery and electronic

products as well asconsumer goods,including shoes, toys andglasses,” said Vavra.

The Czech Republic’sexports to China reached700 million US dollarslast year, up 73.7 per centyear on year, with a tradedeficit of 8.5 billion USdollars.

MNA/Xinhua

HAVANA, 17 Feb —American producers sold437.5 million US dollarsin food to Cuba in 2007,a new peak in valuedespite Cuban com-plaints that the BushAdministration ishindering trade.

The main items werecorn, chicken, wheat,soybean products andrice, according to the NewYork-based US-CubaTrade and EconomicCouncil, which monitorstrade with Cuba.

Sales of agricultural

products to Cuba,allowed under anexception to the USembargo placed on FidelCastro’s leftistgovernment back in1962, had fallen to 340.4million US dollars in2006 in a two-yeardecline.

Cuba’s food importagency Alimport blamedrestrictions introducedby the Bush Admi-nistration, such asdemanding Cubanpayment prior toshipment, for causing US

sales to fall from a 2004peak.

Alimport presidentPedro Alvarez said theincreased value of Cubanpurchases last year reflecthigher world food prices,not greater volume, andsaid trade with UnitedStates is flat.

Still, the fact is that theUnited States hasremained Cuba’s mainsupplier of food and farmproducts, with salestotalling 1.99 billion USdollars since they beganin 2001. — MNA/Reuters

BEIJING, 16 Feb —Former Federal ReserveChairman Alan Greenspansaid the US economy is onthe verge of its firstrecession in six years asfalling home values hurtconsumer spending.

“We are clearly on theedge,” Greenspan told agroup of energy-industryexecutives at theCambridge EnergyResearch Associates’ 27thannual CERAWeekconference in Houston. Hereiterated comments fromlast month that the odds ofan economic contractionare “50 percent or better”.

Greenspan’s view hasevolved from a year ago,when he saw a one-in-threechance of a recession,citing slowing profitgrowth and becoming oneof the first economists towarn of the risk. Now, WallStreet firms includingMerrill Lynch & Co andGoldman Sachs GroupInc are forecasting acontraction in theaftermath of the worst

housing downturn in aquarter century.

Fed Chairman Ben SBernanke, Greenspan’ssuccessor, acknowledged“downside” risks to theexpansion on Thursday,while telling lawmakershe expects growth to pickup later this year. Hereiterated the central bankis prepared to take“timely” action to aid the

economy as needed. “While we are at stall

speed in the US at themoment, we haven’t yetseen the discontinuity thatcharacterizes recession,”Greenspan said during aquest ion-and-answersession on Thursday.“American business wasin such extra-good shapebefore this problem hit.

Internet

No law to allow foreignersto buy land in Cambodia

Sinopec buys 64 gas stations fromprivate Tianfa Group

BEIJING, 17 Feb —Sinopec, the country’slargest oil refiner, saidon its website on Fridaythat its Hubei branchcompany in central Chinahad signed an agreementto purchase 64 gasstations from the private-owned Hubei TianfaGroup.

The total assets of these

stations stood at 140million yuan (19.51million US dollars) afterevaluation.

Hubei branch companyof Sinopec has total assetsof nearly five billion yuanand more than 1,800filling stations.

Founded in 1988,Tianfa Group is aconglomerate engaged in

petroleum businesses,petrochemical develop-ment, papermaking andagricultural by-pro-ducts.

It is the largestshareholder of theShenzhen-listed TianfaPetroleum, the country’slargest listed private oilfirm.

MNA/Xinhua

PHNOM PENH, 16 Feb —Cambodia has so farprepared no law to allowforeigners to buy land ontheir own in the kingdom,said Prime Minister HunSen on Thursday at aschool inaugurationceremony in KampongSpeu Province. “We havenever thought and dreamtto organize draft law toallow foreigners to buyland in our country,” he

said. Some people wantedto criticize and tarnish thegovernment before thegeneral election on July27, by gossiping that thegovernment is planningdraft law for foreigners topurchase land on their ownin the kingdom, he said.

“If we have such a draftlaw, our neighbouringcountries will buy all ourland along the borders,”he said. — MNA/Xinhua

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM5

6 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008

An illustration explains how the Pentagon plans toshoot down a disabled US spy satellite. The UnitedStates pledged on Friday to compensate countriesif debris lands on their territory from a dying US

spy satellite that the Pentagon plans to shootdown.—INTERNET

Quake jolts Mideast,injures three in Lebanon BEIRUT, 16 Feb — An earthquake shook the Middle

East on Friday, damaging buildings in south Lebanonwhere three people were injured.

The earthquake of magnitude 5.0 had an epicentre15 kilometres (nine miles) northeast of the Lebanesecoastal city of Tyre, according to the US GeologicalSurvey website (www.usgs.gov).

The tremor was felt across Lebanon, Israel, thePalestinian territories and in the Syrian capital ofDamascus. —MNA/Reuters

Delhi policeman arrestedin kidney racket scandal

Expanding US Service workersunion backs Obama

Taleban kills four police, takesaway two in S-W Afghanistan KABUL, 16 Feb — Taleban fighters attacked a

police patrol, killing four policemen, wounding twoothers and taking away two more in southwesternAfghan province of Nimruz, provincial governorsaid on Friday.

The ambush on police vehicle took place Thursdayevening in Chakhansur District of Nimruz, provincialgovernor Ghulam Dastagir Azad told Xinhua viaphone.

Earlier, a purported spokesman for the TalebanQari Yousuf Ahmadi told Xinhua via phone from anunknown location that the outfit's fighters killed fourpolicemen, kidnapped two others and captured sixmachine guns during the attack.

MNA/Xinhua

Coach accident kills three,injures 14 in Vietnam

HANOI, 16 Feb — Three people have been killedand 14 others seriously injured as two inter-provincialcoaches collided head-on in Vietnam’s central ThuaThien Hue Province, local newspaper Young Peoplereported on Friday.

The accident occurred in Phong Dien District onThursday, killing two passengers instantly. Anotherpassenger died in hospital.

The local driver of the coach en route from centralHa Tinh Province to southern Ho Chi Minh City fledaway after the accident. —MNA/Xinhua

US to compensatecountries hit bysatellite debris

GENEVA, 16 Feb — The United States said onFriday that it would compensate countries whoseterritory might be hit by debris of an inoperable US spysatellite that the Pentagon plans to shoot down.

Christina Rocca, US ambassador for disarmamentaffairs, said the United States had recently modifiedthree SM-3 missiles and three US Navy ships to try toshoot down the satellite, which is currently in adecaying orbit.

Whether the effort succeeds or fails, the UnitedStates is prepared to offer assistance to countries tomitigate the consequences of any satellite debrisimpacts on their territory, Rocca told the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament.

She added that if the action fails, the satellite isexpected to make an uncontrolled re-entry into theEarth's atmosphere on or about 6 March in any regionon the Earth’s surface between 58.5 degrees North and58.5 degrees South Latitudes. —MNA/Xinhua

NEW DELHI, 16 Feb —An Indian police inspectorhas been arrested for takingbribes from doctorsaccused of running anillegal kidney transplantracket on the outskirts ofNew Delhi, police said onFriday.

Ravinder Singh, anassistant sub-inspector inDelhi’s police force, isaccused of taking a two-million-rupee (50,000-US-dollar) bribe to let offdoctors alleged to haveforced poor labourers intodonating their kidneys.

Singh and hiscolleagues visited thedoctors on 7 January after

receiving complaints, saidpolice spokesman RajanBhagat.

“Instead of bookingthem under laws they letthem off on a bribe,” hesaid. Police in Gurgaon,one of Delhi’s satellitecities, broke up the ring atthe end of January.

MNA/Reuters

Turkey sendshumanitarian

aid to Iraq ANKARA, 17 Feb —

Turkish Red Crescent sentseven trucks loaded with85 tons of humanitarianaid to Iraq on Friday, thesemi-official Anatolianews agency reported.

“We will distribute theaid in Mosul and TalAfar,” Omer Tasli,director general of TurkishRed Crescent, was quotedas saying, adding thatthey also sent onecommunication vehicleand three personnel to thewar-torn country.

Tasli continued that theorganization would alsosend 23 tons of medicineand medical equipment, aswell as 40 tons of serumsto the region.

MNA/Xinhua

WASHINGTON, 16 Feb —Senator Barack Obama’spresidential campaign got amajor boost on Friday,winning the endorsement ofthe influential 1.9-million-member ServiceEmployees InternationalUnion.

SEIU President AndyStern said the union’sexecutive board “over-whelmingly’” decided toendorse Obama for president.“It has now become clear themembers of our union andthe leaders of our union thinkthat it is time to become partof an effort to make BarackObama the next president ofthe United States,” Sternsaid during a phoneconference with reporters.

“We do think he has theexperience and the visionwe need in our nextpresident,” Stern said. He

added that the labour groupalso had “enormous respect”for Obama’s chief rival forthe Democratic presidentialnomination, Senator HillaryClinton. The SEIU, one ofthe fastest-growing labourorganizations in NorthAmerica, represents healthcare and other service

industry workers. Theendorsement will allowObama to tap into the union'sorganizational resources andhelp him in his battle for theDemocratic presidentialnomination against Clintongoing into the 4 Marchprimaries in Texas and Ohio.

MNA/Reuters

A South Korean dog sled racer competes in the first dog sled race held inNorth Korea at Mount Kumgang, North Korea 17 Feb, 2008. About 35 teams

took part in the event held at a mountain resort run by an affiliate of theSouth's Hyundai Group. Due to a lack of recent snow, the racers used sleds

mounted on wheels and competed on a coastal road with the DiamondMountain range in the background.—INTENET

Orphans children sleepon a single bed at the

SOS Children’s VillageNairobi in Nairobi,Kenya, on 15 Feb,

2008. Orphanages inNairobi have taken in

dozens of children whohad to flee their homes

amid post electionviolence, as relief

workers try to find theirparents.—INTERNET

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM6

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008 7

Director-General U Khin Maung Htay and congregation take the Five Precepts from a Sayadaw.— MNA

Dr Tin Tun Oo gives Thutasweson literaryaward to a winner.— MNA

Malikha Soe Htaik Aung presents cash awardto Academy Yan Aung.— MNA

62nd Anniversary of MRTV marked

YANGON, 17 Feb —To mark the 62nd Anni-versary of Myanma Radio and Television, the ceremonyto offer ‘soon’ to members of the Sangha was held atMRTV on Pyay Road, here, on 15 February.

Member of the State Sangha Maha NayakaCommittee Tipitakadhara DhammabhandagarikaBhaddanta Sirindabhivamsa (Yaw Sayadaw)

administered the Five Precepts. Members of the Sangharecited Parittas.

Director-General U Khin Maung Htay anddirectors donated alms to the Sayadaws and sharedmerits gained.

After the ceremony, staff families of MRTVoffered alms to members of the Sangha. — MNA

Third Thuta Swesoneliterary award presentation

ceremony heldYANGON, 17 Feb — Under the supervision of

Myanmar Writers and Journalists Association, ThutaSwesone Literary House of Swesone Media Groupheld the third ceremony to present Thuta Swesoneliterary award 2006 at Hotel Nikko on Natmauk Streetin Tamway Township this afternoon.

Chairman of Swesone Media Group Dr Tin TunOo explained the purpose of presenting the awards andChairman of the Prize Scrutiny Committee U MyoThant (Maung Hsu Shin) scrutinizing the prize winningworks.

Departmental heads under the Ministry ofInformation, Chairman of Myanmar Writers andJournalists Association U Hla Myaing (Ko Hsaung)and Chairman of Swesone Media Group Dr Tin TunOo presented Thuta Swesone Life-time AchievementAward to U Myo Thant (Maung Hsu Shin), awards toNaung Sit Thi in the belles-letters genre, Maung MyintKywe in the translation genre, Ye Yint Tint Swe in theinternational affairs genre, Nay Zin Latt in the youthliterature genre, Dr Ma Tin Win in the arts genre, BoHlaing in the science genre, Dr Khin Maung Lwin(FAME) in the applied science genre, Khin MaungNyo (Economics) in the social economic genre andTaung Soe in the reference genre.

Dr Tin Tun Oo donated K 500,000 to the fundsof the MWJA through Chairman U Hla Myaing (KoHsaung) and gifts to members of the Prize ScrutinyCommittee.

On behalf of the winners, U Myo Thant (MaungHsu Shin) and Maung Myint Kywe spoke words ofthanks. — MNA

MCPA to conduct get-together on 29 FebYANGON, 17 Feb —Myanmar Computer

Professionals Association will hold its 2nd get-togetherat Myanmar Info-Tech in Hline Township on 29February.

Door gifts, lucky draw and MCPA bulletins forevery person participating in the get together will behanded out and an entertainment program will bestaged.

For further information contact MCPA, building-4, room-4, Myanamr Info-Tech (Ph-652276).— H

NAY PYI TAW, 17 Feb — The gas pipelinesupplying gas to Thakayta Sub-power Station fromInsein-Ywama Gas Distribution Centre about 230 feetwest of CNG Filling Station No 021 at the corner ofBago River Street and Ayeyawun Street in DagonSeikkan Township, Yangon Division, caught fire at11.45 am today.

Commander of Yangon Command Maj-GenHla Htay Win and officials concerned inspected thescene where fire was put under control at 12.45 am.Consequently, the supplying of gas to the filling stationswas temporarily cut off. The damaged pipeline is nowunder repair. There was no casualty.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.MNA

Gas pipeline catchesfire in Dagon Seikkan

Township

Myanma Motion Picture Awardwinners honoured

YANGON, 17 Feb — The Myanma MotionPicture Asiayon hosted a dinner in honour ofMyanma motion picture award winning artistesand technicians for 2006 at the compound of MMPAon Winkabar Road in Bahan Township hereyesterday.

It was attended by the directors-general andmanaging directors of the departments andenterprises under the Ministry of Information,officials of the Myanma Motion Picture Promotionand Scrutinizing Board , the patrons and executivemembers of MMPA and outstanding award winners.

First, Vice-Chairperson of MMPA DawMyint Myint Khine made a speech on the occasion.

Managing Director of Super Coffeemix UMaung Maung Oo gave K 200,000 each to themotion picture award winners, Secretary of MMPAMalikha Soe Htaik Aung K 300,000 each andChairman of Mingalar Cinema Group U Zaw Min(Mingalar) K 200,000 each. Best Sound Awardwinner Academy U Myo Nyunt (Pantha), Best FilmScript Award winner Academy U Zaw Myint Oo,Best Film Editing Award winner Academy U ZawMin (Hanthamyay), Best Cinematography Awardwinner Academy U Than Nyunt (Pantha), BestMusic Award winner Academy Thaw Zin(Lawunein), Best Supporting Actor Award winnerAcademy Po Kyaw, Best Supporting Actress Awardwinner Academy May Thinzar Oo, Best Actor Awardwinner Academy Yan Aung, Best Actress Awardwinner Academy Nandar Hlaing, Best Film DirectorAward winner Academy Maung Myo Min (YinDwin Phyit) and Best Film Producer Award winnerDaw Thein Thein Oo of Nawarat Film Productionaccepted the cash rewards.

On behalf of the winners, six-time Academywinner Yan Aung expressed thanks. Later, the awardwinners were served with dinner. — MNA

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM7

8 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008

Prime Minister GeneralThein Sein inspects …

(frompage 1)At the lounge of Sittway Airport, Minister for

Transport Maj-Gen Thein Swe reported to the PrimeMinister on facts about the airport, completion of theextended building, extension of the runway and theapron, tarmacking of asphalt concrete along the run-way.

Director-General U Tun Hlaing of Department ofCivil Aviation briefed the Prime Minister on comple-tion of progress of earth work, tarmacking of asphaltconcrete, collection of materials and future plans.

Afterwards, the Prime Minister gave instructions.He said that if all the tasks of the project cannot becarried out at the same time due to some difficulties ofexpenditure and collection of heavy machinery andconstruction materials, priority is to be given toconstruction of the runway. In addition, he instructedofficials to place emphasis on dredging of drainsbefore the rainy season.

The runway of the airport is 6,000 feet long, 150feet wide and 12 feet thick. The runway is tarmackedwith concrete asphalt and its endurance is 73,000 lb.The apron is 600 feet long and 300 feet wide and thetaxi way, 525 feet long and 75 feet wide.

Phaungdawgyi jetty in Sittway.— MNA

Prime Minister General Thein Sein visits General Hospital (200-bed) in Sittway.— MNA

Prime Minister General Thein Sein meets with departmental personnel, members of socialorganizations and local people.— MNA

At the City Hall in Sittway, the Prime Minister metdepartmental personnel, members of social organiza-tions and local people. Commander Maj-Gen MaungShein reported that the area of Rakhine State is 14,200square miles. The state has 360 miles long beach. Next,the commander submitted the reports on formation ofRakhine State, land utilization, production of monsoonpaddy and cultivation of summer paddy, growing 10major crops, efforts made for meeting the targetedproduction, use of quality strain crops, cultivation ofedible oil crops and edible oil sufficiency, planting ofpepper, coffee, tea, rubber, oil palm, Thitseint (Bellericmyrobalan) and physic nut, breeding of fish and prawn,progress of growing of rubber on 100,000 acres atMayU Mountain Range, matters related to road, bridgeand dam projects in Rakhine State, progress in bordertrade and matters concerning education, health, socialand cultural sectors of the state.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister saidhe was there to study developments of Rakhine State,to continue carrying out regional development tasksand fulfill the requirements. He said he had also visitedthe townships of Kachin and Chin States and attended

to the needs.Rakhine State has an area of over 14000 square

miles with a population of more than three million whohave been residing together since ancient times. The

state is covered with hills and mountains and forestsand it has vast stretches of coastline with rich marineresources. It can produce rice, meat and fish andmarine products not only for self-sufficiency but alsofor sales on commercial scale.

The Prime Minister said due to the poor transpor-tation in Rakhine State, it lacked development in thepast making its people to distance themselves from thepeople of other regions. Likewise, there were difficultcommunications between the north and the south of theState.

Therefore, in accord with the guidance of the Headof State, construction of Yangon-Sittway Union Roadstarted in 1996 and it was inaugurated in February2000. The State had to build the road passing throughmany mountains and creeks. Along the road there were10 river-crossing bridges and over 800 small bridges.

Moreover, to enable Rakhine State to link itsnorth and south and to have access to Bago andAyeyawady Divisions, Yangon-Kyaukphyu Road wasbuilt applying the geo textile technique. Along theroad there are 14 large bridges and over 600 mediumand small bridges. In the past, those bridges were onlya dream for the local people. But the dream has cometrue, thanks to the government’s goodwill efforts,noted the Prime Minister.

(See page 9)

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM8

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008 9

Prime Minister GeneralThein Sein inspects …

(from page 8)That is why all the

national people living inRakhine State are to strivefor the development ofthe whole state makinguse of natural resources

plus the good opportuni-ties created by the gov-ernment. They are alsourged to try to ensurepeace and stability andthe rule of law.

The people on theirpart are to systematicallyuse and maintain the edu-cation and health infra-structures built by theState. Similarly, servicepersonnel are required totry to fully realize the edu-cation, health and socialobjectives of the State.

The government isimplementing the seven-step Road Map to trans-form the nation into ademocratic one as aspiredby the people. Now thefirst and second stepshave been completed. Asthe third step, the draft-

ing of the constitution isnearing completion andannouncement has beenmade to hold referendumin May for seeking ap-proval of the people.

Furthermore, he said

the announcement hasbeen issued to hold theMulti-party DemocracyGeneral Election in 2010in accord with the forth-coming State Constitu-tion. The Government isconstantly performing theprocess of transition todemocratic state that thepeople inspire. While car-rying out the tasks foremergence of the consti-tution which will be inconformity with traditionsand customs of the na-tional races and naturalresources, the govern-ment is undertaking tasksfor ensuring stability ofthe State, prevalence oflaw and order, strength-ening of sound economicfoundations and dissemi-nating wide knowledge to

the people.The Prime Minister

said that nowadays, ademocratic state has comeinto shape as whished bythe people.In conclusion,the Prime Minister urgedthose present to harmoni-ously participate in thetasks for emergence of the

constitution essential forthe State and the peopleand emergence of a demo-cratic nation in accordwith the forthcoming con-stitution.

Afterwards, thePrime Minister presentedgifts from ministries toSittway TownshipUSDA, MWAO,MCWA, WVO, RedCross and Auxiliary FireBrigades and SittwayTownship through offi-cials.

At Sittway GeneralHospital (200-bed), thePrime Minister made aspeech in meeting withdoctors and health staff.In his instructions, thePrime Minister said thattoday doctors and healthstaff are to not only pro-

vide health care servicesbut also disseminate awide range of healthknowledge to the people.

The Prime Ministerpresented K 500,000 tothe funds of the hospitalthrough Medical Super-intendent Dr Htay Kywe.

The Prime Ministervisited the child patientward, the medical store,the ICU, the operationtheatre and the x-rayroom. Minister for HealthDr Kyaw Myint and themedical superintendentconducted the Prime Min-ister round the hospital.

Next, the Prime Min-ister comforted the pa-tients.

Afterwards, they in-spected PhaungdawgyiJetty at Sittway Wharf.

At the briefing hall,Managing Director UThein Htay of MyanmaPort Authority reported onmatters related to buoys

and jetties includingPhaungdawgyi ConcreteJetty, export and importfreight handling and in-come and progress inmaintenance of Paletwa

(border) motor road be-tween Myanmar and In-dia and the water way ofKaladan River. Ministerfor Transport Maj-GenThein Swe and DeputyMinister for ConstructionU Tint Swe gave supple-mentary reports.

After hearing the re-ports, the Prime Ministerinstructed them to system-atically carry out the tasksfor the development of theregion.

Next, the PrimeMinster and party in-spected the view point inSittway and gave instruc-tions on beautifying tasks.

At the briefing hallof the construction site ofthree-storey main build-ing for Sittway Univer-sity, Rector U Ba Shwereported to the PrimeMinister on backgroundhistory of the university,academic and manage-ment matters, strength of

ter attended to the needsand urged the facultymembers to organize thelocal youths and their par-ents in order to enjoy theeducational opportunitiescreated by the govern-ment with a view to pro-moting education stand-ards and enabling theyouth to enjoy fruits ofeducation facilities. ThePrime Minister stressedthe need to nurture thestudents to become notonly intellectuals but alsogood citizens equippedwith patriotic spirit andUnion Spirit.

Next, the Prime Min-ister cordially greeted thefaculty members andlooked into progress ofconstruction of three-sto-rey main building.

In the evening, thePrime Minister and partypaid homage to theLawkananda Pagoda inSittway and donated cashfor all-round renovation

the students and progressof the construction works.Deputy Minister for Edu-cation U Myo Nyuntmade a supplementaryreport. The Prime Minis-

Prime Minister General Thein Sein presents gift for Red Cross Societyin Sittway.— MNA

Aungsetkya Muni Buddha Image in Sittway.— MNA

Prime Minister General Thein Sein pays homage to Kakusan Buddha Image of Lawkananda Pagoda in Sittway.— MNA

of the pagoda. They of-fered flowers and waterto Aungsetkya Muni Bud-dha Image being kept inAungsetkya Muni ordina-tion hall and made cashdonations. — MNA

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM9

10 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008

ISLAMABAD, 17 Feb —Pakistan will deploy81,000 military troops and400,000 police personnelto ensure peacefulelections on 18 February,Interior Minister HamidNawaz Khan said onSaturday.

Addressing a newsbriefing here, Hamid

US judge dismisses“American Gangster” lawsuit

Mosccow, 17 Feb — The RussianDefence Ministry expressed concernon Saturday about Washington’sdecision to destroy its damagedintelligence-gathering satellite with airdefence systems.

Washington’s decision to liquidatethe spacecraft and the hastiness withwhich the Pentagon is trying to destroyits satellite raise a number of questions,said the Defence Ministry’s Departmentof Information and Public Relations.

“In particular, there are not enougharguments to substantiate the decisionfor intercepting the falling satellite withair defence systems,” ITAR-TASS newsagency quoted the department as saying.

In addition, the United States hasnot provided “a comparative assessmentof the consequences of intercepting thesatellite in orbit and its uncontrolleddescent”, said the ministry.

The ministry said the operation todestroy a US spy satellite could proveto be the testing of an anti-satellite

214 m Chinese saw CCTV gala onLunar New Year eve

Russia voices concern aboutUS spy satellite situation

weapon, the ITAR-TASS reported. “Essentially, speculations about the

danger of the satellite hide preparationsfor the classical testing of an anti-satelliteweapon,” it said.

“Such testing essentially means thecreation of a new type of strategic weans,”it added.

The United States plans to shootdown a malfunctioning spy satellitecarrying toxic fuel, known by its militarydesignation as USA 193.

The satellite, launched in December2006, lost power and its central computerfailed almost immediately afterward,leaving it uncontrollable.

Left alone, the satellite would beexpected to hit earth during the firstweek of March.

Military and administration officialssaid the satellite is carrying fuel calledhydrazine that could injure or even killpeople who are near it when it hits theground.

MNA/Xinhua

Security to ensure peaceful electionsin Pakistan

Nawaz said paramilitarytroops including Rangersand Frontier Constabularywould be deployed tofurther tighten thesecurity.

Hamid Nawaz saidpolice from Northern areasand Pakistan-controlledKashmir had also beencalled to deal with any

BEIJING, 17 Feb —About 214 millionChinese in more than 100million families, or 70 percent of the national total,watched the annual SpringFestival evening galabroadcast live on the eveof the Lunar New Year.

The programme,from China Central

Television (CCTV), stillenjoys top audienceratings worldwide amongChinese, according to thelatest survey of the NielsenMedia Research.

The annual SpringFestival gala celebrationstarted in the 1980s. Sincethen, it has been the mostpopular TV event of the

year. The special usuallyfeatures dances, songs andshort comedies.

This year’s SpringFestival fell on 7 February.The show was broadcastlive by several CCTVchannels from 8:00 pm on6 February to 1:00 am thenext day.

MNA/Xinhua

NEW YORK, 17 Feb— A federal judge hasdismissed a 55-million-US-dollar lawsuit filed byformer Drug EnforcementAdministration agentsagainst the movie studiothat made “AmericanGangster”, but said thefilm got its facts wrong atthe end.

Former DEA agentsLouis Diaz, GregoryKorniloff and Jack Toallast month sued NBCUniversal, owned by

General Electric, forfalsely claiming the moviewas based on a true storyand harming the agents’reputations.

The film, whichgrossed more then 127million US dollars showed

A private guard of anelection candidate sits

at the venue of a rally

on the last day of

election campaigning

in Pakistan’s tribal

town of Bannu on 16Feb, 2008. Pakistan

votes in a general

election on 18

February .—INTERNET

A man dressed as a Mexican Charro stands with members of MexicoCity’s Chinese community during a Chinese New Year parade in

Mexico City, on 16 Feb, 2008.—INTERNET

untoward situation. He elaborated that a

total of 49,000 policepersonnel would bedeployed in North WestFrontier Province(NWFP), 130,000 inPunjab, 190,000 in Sindhand 25,000 in Balochistanon the polling day.

MNA/Xinhua

Third int’l forum on sinologyopens in Lisbon

LISBON, 17 Feb — Portugal’s third internationalforum on sinology opened here at the auditorium ofMacao Scientific and Cultural Centre.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the forumwith the theme of “China and the Olympics”, ChineseAmbassador Gao Kexiang expounded the value of the2008 Beijing Olympics to the host country.

Gao also outlined the promises of the ChineseGovernment to host a successful Olympic games andspoke of the ardor of the Chinese people to welcomethe event. The ambassador hoped the forum couldbecome a platform for the Chinese and Europeanpeoples along with the rest of the world to deepenmutual understanding.

An official from the Portuguese Foreign Ministryspoke of the friendly and peaceful relations betweenChina and Portugal, adding that Portugal shouldstrengthen cooperation in economy, politics andculture with China and further promote bilateralexchanges.—MNA/Xinhua

events sur-rounding formerHarlem heroin kingpinFrank Lucas, portrayed byDenzel Washington andNew Jersey detectiveRichard Roberts, de-pictedby Russell Crowe.

MNA/Reuters

JAKARTA, 17 Feb — TopIndonesian and US Air Force officialshave met here for talks on bilateraldefence cooperation, which may leadto the purchase of F-16 jet fighters andC-130 Hercules personnel carriers,local Press said on Saturday.

Indonesian Air Force chiefVice Marshal Subandrio receivedUS Under Secretary of the Air Forcefor International Affairs Bruce SLemkin for a closed-door meetingon Friday, aimed at procuring newdefence equipment for Indonesia,

Indonesiamay

buy USjet

fighters

particularly combat and personnel carrierplanes.

“We’ll consider purchases for the2010-2014 period,” Air Force spokesmanRear Marshall Soenaryo was quoted byEnglish-language daily The Jakarta Post assaying.

He said the latest version of F-16 jetfighters was a necessary replacement for theAir Force’s aging fleet.

He said the Air Force would be ableto save maintenance fees allocated between2008-2019 by having the new jet fighters.

MNA/Xinhua

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM10

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008 11

Susilo submits centralbank chief candidates

JAKARTA, 17 Feb — Indonesian President SusiloBambang Yudhoyono has submitted two candidatesto the Parliament for the new governor of BankIndonesia, replacing Burhanuddin Abdullah whoseretirement is due in May.

The President nominated Bank MandiriPresident Director Agus Martowardojo and AssetsManagement Company (PPA) Deputy Director RadenPardede as the candidates, local newspaper The JakartaPost reported Saturday.—MNA/Xinhua

Kiribati declares world’slargest marine reserve

WELLINGTON, 17 Feb — The tiny Pacific islandnation of Kiribati has declared the world’s largestmarine protected area, the Suva-based Pacnewsreported on Friday.

The Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA), aCalifornia-sized ocean wilderness, includes pristinereefs and eight coral atolls teeming with fish andbirds.

It lies about halfway between Hawaii and Fijiand also includes undersea mountains. It wouldconserve one of the Earth’s last intact oceanic coralarchipelago ecosystems.

Kiribati Environment Minister Tetapo Nakarasaid the government wanted to conserve the area’s“biological diversity”.—MNA/Xinhua

Precision clock traps atomsin light to keep time

CHICAGO, 17 Feb— US physicists have made aclock so accurate it will neither gain nor lose even asecond in more than 200 million years, a finding sureto please even the most punctually minded.

The clock, described in the Friday issue of thejournal Science, outperforms the official atomicclock used by the US Commerce Department’sNational Institute of Standards and Technology,which promises to keep accurate time down to thesecond for 80 million years.

The new atomic clock is vying for the title ofworld’s most accurate with another experimentalclock developed in the same lab at the Joint Institutefor Laboratory Astrophysics, a collaboration betweenNIST and the University of Colorado in Boulder.

MNA/Reuters

Wal-Mart, rivals pick Blu-rayin HD DVD disaster

NEW YORK, 17 Feb — Wal-Mart Stores Inc onFriday abandoned the flailing HD DVD format,potentially ending a war over next-generation DVDsas it joined Best Buy and Netflix in supporting rivalBlu-ray technology.

The format war between Toshiba Corp-backedHD DVD and Sony Corp’s Blu-ray, often comparedto the Betamax-VHS battle in the 1980s, has slowedthe development of what is expected to be amultibillion-dollar high-definition DVD industry.

It also has been a thorn in the side of retailers,which have had to commit shelf space to devicesfrom both camps even as they field complaints fromcustomers frustrated that some films come out in HDDVD while others are released in Blu-ray.

MNA/Reuters

Fisher-Price’s Kid

Tough DVDPlayer is

displayed atthe AmericanInternationalToy Fair on15 Feb, 2008in New York.It features a

3.2 inch colorscreen and

rechargeablebatteries.

Fisher-Priceis a divisionof Mattel.INTERNET

A mahout

plays with

an elephant

during a

show in the

ancient

Thai

capital

Ayutthaya,

80 km

(50 miles)

north of

Bangkok,

on 17 Feb,

2008.

INTERNET

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Images of the DayImages of the Day

South Korean girls wearing Korean traditional dresses perform during an exhibition programmeof the International Skating Union Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Goyang,

west of Seoul, South Korea, on 17 Feb, 2008.—INTERNET

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM11

12 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008

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1. M.S Plate & M.S Rod Lot 18.2.2008 25.2.20082. M.S Plate Lot 18.2.2008 25.2.2008 3. Electrical Spare Parts Lot 18.2.2008 25.2.2008 4. S.T.P.P 20 Tons 18.2.2008 25.2.2008 5. Cement Mill Trunnion Bearing 2 Nos 18.2.2008 10.3.2008 6. Waste Gas Fan Impeller 1 Set 18.2.2008 10.3.2008 7. Kiln Supporting Roller Bearing 2 Items 18.2.2008 10.3.2008Am˙t\ (1) sk\mOwn\”k^;@an' �mn\ma.eÂk∑Tv\e�mTv\lup\cn\;'erac\;wy\er;@an' RuM:Am˙t\(41)' en�pv\eta\t∑c\ RuM:K¥in\At∑c\; Sk\q∑y\suMsm\;“p; tc\dåpMusMm¥a;kuilaerak\wy\yNiuc\påqv\"tc\dåpuMsMtra;wc\ wy\q¨m¥a;TMm˙ tc\dåkiuqa lk\KMpåmv\"(Aeq:sit\ qiliupåk suMsm\;rn\ ty\l^Pun\;Am˙t\ 067-408298)

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CLAIMS DAY NOTICEMV KOTA TAMPAN VOY NO (171 )

Consignees of cargo carried on MV KOTOTAMPAN VOY NO (171 ) are hereby notified that thevessel will be arriving on 18.2.2008 and cargo will bedischarged into the premises of A.W.P.T where it willlie at the consignee’s risk and expenses and subject to thebyelaws and conditions of the Port of Yangon.

Damaged cargo will be surveyed daily from 8 amto 11:20 am and 12 noon to 4 pm up to Claims Day nowdeclared as the third day after final discharge of cargofrom the vessel.

No claims against this vessel will be admitted afterthe Claims Day.

SHIPPING AGENCY DEPARTMENTMYANMA PORT AUTHORITY

AGENT FOR: M/S ADVANCE CONTAINERLINES PTE LTD

Phone No: 256908/378316/376797

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Japan children to spend moretime on math, science

Auction nets over $40mfor AIDS in Africa

NEW YORK, 16 Feb —Contemporary artcollectors opened theirwallets on Thursday andshelled out 42.6 millionUS dollars at a Valentine’sDay charity auctionspearheaded by rockerBono and British artistDamien Hirst to benefitthe fight against AIDS inAfrica. Spirited biddingand prices far in excess ofpre-sale estimates marked“The (Red) Auction” atSotheby’s, where all butone of the 83 contemporaryworks, each donated by theartists or their estates,found buyers.

The 42,584,300-US-dollar total easily eclipsedeven the highestexpectations of about 29million US dollars for the

sale, which Sotheby’s saidwas among the biggestsingle charity events inhistory.

Proceeds from the salewere earmarked for theUnited Nations’ GlobalFund’s fight against AIDSin Africa in conjunctionwith Bono’s “Red” brand,wherein products frommajor corporationsincluding Apple, the Gap,Microsoft and Hallmarkhave generated 58 millionUS dollars for AIDS.

“This was a reallyhistoric night,” said Bono,sporting his trademarksunglasses.“I’m reallyvery, very moved,” he said,having “seen people dyingfor lack of the two pills aday” it takes to treat AIDS.

MNA/Reuters

UK police chief demandsapology over Diana probe

TOKYO, 16 Feb —Japanese schoolchildrenwill spend more timeon core subjects suchas math and scienceunder guidelines unveiledon Friday, in an effort toboost academic standardsmonths after the countryslipped in global educationrankings.

The changes, to beimplemented graduallyfrom next year, reversereforms implemented in2000 to create a more

“relaxed” environmentthat would foster creativityand reduce rote learning.An OECD surveypublished in Decembershowed Japanese 15-year-olds fell to sixth place fromsecond among 57countries in science, to10th place from sixth inmaths and to 15th from14th in reading.

The new guidelines,which Kyodo newsagency said would beformalized in March after

a period of publiccomment, would alsostrengthen “moraleducation” but stoppedshort of making ethics aformal classroom subject,as many conservatives hadadvocated. “Many peoplerecognize the need forethics education,” PrimeMinister Yasuo Fukudatold reporters. “There arevarious ways to do thiseven without making it aformal subject.”

MNA/Reuters

LONDON, 16 Feb —The former British policechief who conducted aninquiry into PrincessDiana’s death angrilydenied on Thursday“scurrilous allegations”that he had not done hisjob properly.

“Allegations trip offpeople’s tongues — it’sjust not right,” JohnStevens told the Londoninquest into the deaths ofDiana and her lover Dodial-Fayed, killed in a high-speed Paris car crash inAugust 1997.

“I am looking for anapology in relation to

that,” he told the court.“There were scurrilousallegations made.”

His police probeconcluded in December2006 that Diana’s deathwas a tragic accident andthat she was not the victimof a murder plot, as hasbeen alleged by Dodi’sfather, luxury storeownerMohamed al-Fayed.

Fayed alleges that hisson and Diana were killedby British securityservices on the orders ofPrince Philip, QueenElizabeth’s husband andDiana’s former father-in-law. — MNA/Reuters

Somali leaderunhurt in mortar

attack on residence MOGADISHU, 17 Feb —

Somali PresidentAbdullahi Yusuf escapedunhurt from a mortarattack on his officialresidence in the capital onSaturday, hours afterreturning to Mogadishufrom an overseas trip, oneof his aides said.

“Four mortars werefired at the PresidentialPalace. Three of themlanded outside, while onelanded inside thecompound. No one washurt,” the aide, whodeclined to be named, toldReuters.

He confirmed thatYusuf was in the heavilyguarded presidentialcompound at the time ofthe shelling, but it wasunclear whether the attackwas directly targeting thepresident, whose forcesare battling an Islamistinsurgency.

Yusuf arrived inMogadishu in the morningafter seeking medicaltreatment abroad. The 73-year-old who had a livertransplant nearly 14 yearsago left Somalia on 4January, a month after achest illness sparked ahealth scare. Presidentialspokesman HusseinMohamud Hubsired saidYusuf's “main priority isto hasten the gover-nment’s works” and tocontinue reconciliationefforts to establish lastingpeace.—MNA/Reuters

Jennifer Bishop with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun ‘Violence,addresses a meeting of concerned parents interested in tougher national guncontrol legislation in the wake of the Northern Illinois University shootings,at Oakton Community College in Skokie, Ill, on 16 Feb, 2008.—INTERNET

DPRK voices strong stand against US provocation PYONGYANG,16 Feb —

Kim Yong-nam, toplegislator of theDemocratic People'sRepublic of Korea(DPRK), Friday vowed totake strong counter-measures against anyprovocation by the UnitedStates, the official KoreanCentral News Agency

reported. Kim made his remarks

at a meeting to markDPRK leader Kim Jong-il's 66th birthday, whichfalls Saturday.

"We are closelyfollowing the double-dealing attitude of the USas it is employing double-edged tactics of

appeasement andpressure, persistentlytrying to stifle the DPRKby force," he said.

"We will not tolerateeven a slight hostile actionon the part of the US butdecisively react to it witha stronger measure," headded.

MNA/Xinhua

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM12

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008 13

Fossil found in China could be580m years old

BEIJING, 16 Feb —Chinese archaeologistshave found a fossilizedbody of an octoradiatespiral organism dating back580 million years in thesouthwestern part of thecountry, the GuangmingDaily reported. The creaturein question would havebeen a multicellular animal.

The fossil was found inWenghui Village, JiangkouCounty, in southwestGuizhou Province. It wasjointly confirmed as anoctoradiate spiral organism

by a research team underthe Institute of Geology ofthe Chinese Academy ofGeological Sciences and anexpert from Switzerland’sNational Museum ofNatural Sciences.

The fossil is threecentimetres in diameter andis said to be a 580-million-year-old multicellularanimal that belonged to theSinian Period (800 millionyears to 570 million yearsago).

It was the earliest spiralorganism body fossil that

has so far been found byscientists, the GuangmingDaily said.

The fossil is a new genusand might be the ancestorof coelenterate and spiralorganisms. The new findingcould provide veryimportant evidence for thecomparative study ofphosphatized spheroidalfossils dating to the Sinianperiod and the Ediacaranfauna (635 million years to543 million years ago),scientists claim.

MNA/XinhuaStudy warns Indian women

against smokingFreezing cold kills over 900 in Afghanistan

Britain publishesnew space strategy

KABUL, 17 Feb —Persistent cold snap andsnowfall have claimed thelives of more than 900people over the past sixweeks in the war-ravagedAfghanistan, a governmentofficial said on Saturday.

Reports collected byauthorities till Saturdayindicated that 926 peopleincluding women andchildren have lost their livesand 231 others sustainedinjuries due to the ongoingbitter cold across thecountry, Amir Jan, anofficial with Anti-DisasterDirectorate told Xinhua.

Some of the injured have

been left to amputate theirfingers and toes because ofcold-caused injuries,according to doctors inwestern Herat Province.

Most of the affectedbelong to the western HeratProvince, January said,adding that also a numberof poor people were report-ed affected in the northernprovinces of Jauzjan, Sar-e-Pul and Faryab.

The official further saidthat 316,055 heads of cattledied due to cold in theCentral Asian country.

The cold wave andsnowfall starting from earlyJanuary is continuing inmajor parts of the countryand, according to localelders, is unprecedentedover the past 20 years. TheAfghan Govern-ment withthe support of internationalcommunity has distributed52 million Afghanis(around one million USdollars) worth of humani-tarian aid to the affectedareas but the locals arecalling for more assi-stance.— MNA/Xinhua

NEW DELHI, 16 Feb —About 62 per cent of Indianwomen who smoke willdie in their productive ageas compared to 38 per centof non-smokers, indicatingthat women smokers willlose about eight years oftheir life, says a new study.

The study, which was

published in the NewEngland Journal ofMedicine and wasconducted by Indian,British and Canadianscientists, said womensmokers are at a muchhigher risk of gettingrespiratory, heart andtuberculosis diseases as

compared to non-smokers. “For both men and

women, the risks ofsmoking are evident evenbefore age 50. Around 15per cent of women smokerswould die in the age of 30-49, as compared with sevenper cent of non-smokers,”said the lead author of thestudy Prabhat Jha.

The study said that 20per cent of women smokersare at the risk of gettingrespiratory diseases ascompared to 7 per cent whodo not smoke.

MNA/Xinhua

A man reads an informational pamphlet at an AIDS awareness exhibition inPatna, India on 13 Feb, 2008.—INTERNET

River taxis are parked along the Singapore river withthe Singapore Financial District in the backgroundon 15 Feb, 2008 in Singapore. Singapore’s FinanceMinister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said Fridaythe government will post a budget surplus of 6.4billion Singapore dollars (US$4.52 billion) for the fiscal year ending March 2008.—INTERNET

Scotland's Mark Beaumont celebrates in front theArc de Triomphe after completing his cycling

around the world record attempt in Paris, on 15Feb, 2008.—INTERNET

LONDON, 16 Feb —Britain published onThursday its civil spacestrategy for 2008-2012and beyond, outliningnew proposals for thecountry’s future in-volvement in anincreasingly competitiveinternational space sector.

The new proposals onhow Britain wouldcontinue to be atthe forefront of thisexpanding sector, an-

nounced by Science andInnovation MinisterIan Pearson, includecontinued involvement inEarth observation, spacescience and telecomdevelopment, and esta-blishing an inter-national space facility atHarwell, Oxfordshire,which will focus onclimate change, roboticspace exploration andapplications.

. Closer involvement ininternational initiativeson the future shape ofspace exploration to theMoon, Mars and beyond,and setting up a nationalspace technologyprogramme to supportthe development of new,innovative technologiesand services are also onthe agenda.

MNA/Xinhua

UN peacekeepers, Tutsi rebels clash in east Congo KINSHASA, 17 Feb— UN

peacekeepers trying to enforce a ceasefiresigned last month have clashed with Tutsirebels in eastern Democratic Republic ofCongo, the United Nations said onSaturday.

One rebel was wounded in theincident on Friday and several werearres ted by the South Afr icanpeacekeepers, a spokesman for the

UN mission in Congo (MONUC)said.

Congo’s Government, Tutsiinsurgents loyal to renegade GeneralLaurent Nkunda and Mai Mai militiasigned a ceasefire on 23 January aimedat ending more than a decade of violencein eastern North and South Kivuprovinces.

MNA/Reuters

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM13

14 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008

S P O R T S

Answers to yesterday’sCrosswords Puzzle

C A L M E R 8 L I G H T S

R 8 8 I 8 E 8 I 8 R 8 8 O

A 8 A N O N Y M O U S 8 R

D O G E 8 E 8 P 8 B E A T

L 8 A 8 E G R E T 8 C 8 E

E R M I N E 8 T E R R O R

8 8 E 8 T 8 8 8 M 8 E 8 8

G U M M E D 8 A P A T H Y

A 8 N 8 R O A S T 8 I 8 E

M O O D 8 L 8 S 8 E V I L

M 8 N E G O T I A T E 8 L

O 8 8 A 8 U 8 S 8 O 8 8 E

N E A R E R 8 T A N N E D

Primera Liga reports MADRID, 17 Feb — Brief reports of matches played

in the Primera Liga on Saturday:Espanyol 2 Sevilla 4

Sevilla raced into a 2-0 lead after just 11 minutes,the Primera Liga's leading scorer Luis Fabiano notch-ing his 17th of the season with the opener and AfricanFootballer of the Year Frederic Kanoute adding thesecond. Espanyol pulled one back before the breakthrough Spain striker Luis Garcia but the home sidesuffered a major setback when Argentine defenderPablo Zabaleta was sent off on 65 minutes.

Sevilla midfielder Christian Poulsen sparked a sec-ond half flurry of goals when he scored with a pile-driver from the edge of the area to make it 3-1,Espanyol striker Ferran Corominas responded with agreat volley before winger Diego Capel wrapped upwith a first-time finish from close range.

Real Betis 2 Real Madrid 1 A second away defeat in a row for Real who took an

early lead when Dutch midfielder Royston Drentheghosted in at the far post to steer in a neat pass fromcompatriot Arjen Robben.

But strugglers Betis turned the tables on the leadersbefore the break with two goals in the space of fourminutes, Brazilian Edu heading in the first and formerLiverpool winger Mark Gonzalez nodding in a carboncopy second.

Real Zaragoza 1 Barcelona 2 Barcelona claimed only their fourth win on the road

this season in controversial fashion when Ronaldinhofired home from the penalty spot seven minutes fromtime after Zaragoza defender Juanfran was adjudgedto have handled as he cleared his area.

Thierry Henry put Barca ahead late in the first halfwhen he steered in past keeper Cesar after appearingto control a through pass from Deco with his hand.

Argentine international Diego Milito missed achance to equalize before the break when he fired apenalty over the bar but strike partner Ricardo Oliveiralevelled early in the second half after good work fromformer Barcelona player Sergio Garcia.

MNA/Reuters

Maldini hails his motherafter notching up 1,000th game

MILAN, 17 Feb — Paolo Maldini thanked his motherfor standing by him during his career after making his1,000th professional appearance in AC Milan's draw atParma on Saturday.

The 39-year-old, who retires at the end of theseason, reached the milestone as a second-half substi-tute.

"I would like to dedicate this achievement to myfamily, in particular my mother who has followed meall these years and has always stayed close," he toldreporters.

Maldini made his debut for Milan aged 16 againstUdinese in a Serie A match in January 1985. He alsoamassed a record 126 caps for Italy, captaining hiscountry on 64 occasions before retiring from the inter-national game in 2002. —MNA/Reuters

Premier League chief sticksby overseas matches plan

LONDON, 17 Feb — Premier League chief executiveRichard Scudamore has stuck by his widely-criticizedplans to play extra matches abroad and accused FIFAPresident Sepp Blatter of not knowing enough aboutthe idea when he denounced it. The 20 top flight clubsagreed last week to consider extending the leagueseason to 39 games from 38 to include an internationalround of fixtures to be staged in January.

Blatter has said the plan could harm England's bid tohost the 2018 World Cup and also accused rich clubsof simply wanting to get richer, while the English FAtold FIFA on Friday it had serious reservations over theproposals. Scudamore told Saturday's edition of TheTimes that he wanted to meet Blatter to explain the planin more detail so he could make a more informedjudgement. —MNA/Reuters

Real midfielder Sneijder outwith rib injury

MADRID, 17 Feb — Real Madrid midfielder WesleySneijder is expected to be out of action for between threeand six weeks after fracturing a rib in training on Friday.

The Dutch international midfielder will miss bothlegs of his side's Champions League last 16 tie againstAS Roma and up to seven league matches because of theinjury.

Real will also be missing Brazil forward Robinho,centre-backs Christoph Metzelder and Pepe and strikerJavier Saviola for the Roma match, while Argentinedefender Gabriel Heinze is doubtful. —MNA/Reuters

Betis’ Rafael Sobis of Brazil shields the ball fromReal Madrid’s Fabio Cannavaro from Italy during

a Spanish League soccer match at the Ruiz deLopera Stadium against Betis in SEville, southern

Spain, on 16 Feb, 2008.—INTERNET

Italy’s Karin Knapp returns the ball to China’s LiNa during the semi-finals of the Proximus Dia-

mond Games tennis tournament in Antwerp on 16Feb, 2008.—INTERNET

Jeff Quinney hitsa shot on the sec-ond hole in thethird round of theNorthern TrustOpen golf tourna-ment at RivieraCountry Club inthe Pacific Pali-sades area of LogAngeles on 16 Feb,2008.—INTERNET

Japan’s Nishikori reachesfirst semi at Delray

DELRAY BEACH (Florida), 16 Feb — Japanese teen-ager Kei Nishikori reached the semifinal of an ATPevent for the first time in his career after a 6-2, 6-4victory over American Bobby Reynolds in the DelrayBeach International on Friday.

The 18-year-old Nishikori will meet the US’s SamQuerrey in Saturday’s semi-final after he comfortablybeat compatriot Vincent Spadea 6-2, 6-4.

Nishikori’s previous best result was a quarterfinalfinish in last year’s event at Indianapolis.

The other two quarterfinals feature top-seed JamesBlake of the US against Russian Igor Kunitsyn andanother all-American match-up between RobbyGinepri and Mardy Fish. — MNA/Reuters

Wenger hits back at Blatter criticism LONDON, 16 Feb — Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hit back on

Friday at FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s criticism of the English PremierLeague’s plans to play a round of international fixtures all over the world.

Wenger, who said he was “not a 100-per-cent defender of the idea”,said he felt it was unreasonable to criticise the proposals without weighingup the implications.

“My reaction is that I am surprised by the immensity of the battle, thatpeople are against it without really analysing the pros and the cons,” hetold reporters on Friday.

Blatter was quoted as saying on Thursday the scheme was a money-making exercise that ignored the wishes of fans and may also affectEngland’s bid to stage the 2018 World Cup finals.—MNA/Reuters

Angela Park of South Korea chipsonto the 15th green during the

final round of the SBS Open golftournament in Kahuku, Hawaii,

on 16 Feb, 2008.—INTERNET

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM14

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Monday, 18 February, 2008 15

WEATHER

R 489 Published by the News and Periodicals Enterprise, Ministry of Information, Union of Myanmar. Edited and printed at The New Light of Myanmar Press,No 22/30 Strand Road at 43rd Street, Yangon. Cable Newlight, PO Box No. 43, Telephones: Editors 392308, Manager 392226, Circulation 392304, Advertisement 392223,Accounts 392224, Administration 392225, Production/Press 392369

Sunday, 17 February, 2008Summary of observations recorded at 9:30

hours MST: During the past 24 hours, rain or thunder-showers have been isolated in Taninthayi Division,weather has been partly cloudy in Shan, Mon and KayinStates, and generally fair in the remaining States andDivisions. Night temperatures were (3ºC) to (4ºC) belowFebruary average temperatures in Shan, Kayah and KayinStates, lower Sagaing Division, (5ºC) to (6ºC) belowFebruary average temperatures in Kachin and RakhineStates, Mandalay, Yangon and Ayeyawady Divisions,(7ºC) to (8ºC) below February average temperatures inChin State, upper Sagaing, Magway and BagoDivisions,(5ºC) above February average temperaturesin Taninthayi Division and about February average tem-peratures in the remaining States and Divisions. The sig-nificant night temperatures were Haka (-2ºC) Loilin(-1ºC), Heho and Namhsam (1ºC) each, An (2ºC),Pinlaung and PyinOoLwin (4ºC) each. The noteworthyamounts of rainfall recorded was Myeik (0.16) inch.

Maximum temperature on 16-2-2008 was 92ºF.Minimum temperature on 17-2-2008 was 57ºF. Rela-tive humidity at (09:30) hours MST on 17-2-2008was 62%. Total sunshine hours on 16-2-2008 was(8.8) hours approx.

Rainfall on 17-2-2008 was (Nil) at Mingaladon,Kaba-Aye and Central Yangon. Total rainfall since1-1-2008 was (0.67) inch at Mingaladon, (0.47 ) inchat Kaba-Aye and (0.35) inch at Central Yangon.Maximum wind speed at Yangon (Kaba-Aye) was(8) mph from Southwest at (14:15) hours MST on16-2-2008.

Bay inference: Weather is partly cloudy in theAndaman Sea and the South Bay and generally fair else-where in the Bay of Bengal.

Forecast valid until evening of 18-2-2008: Like-lihood of isolated rain or thundershowers in TaninthayiDivision, weather will be partly cloudy in Eastern Shan,Mon and Kayin States, Bago, Yangon and Ayeyawadydivisions and and generally fair in the remaining areas.Degree of certainty is (60%).

State of the sea: Strong easterly wind with moder-ate to rough sea are likely at times off and along Mon-Taninthayi Coast. Surface wind speed in strong windmay reach (35) mph. Seas will be moderate elsewhere inMyanmar waters.

Outlook for subsequent two days: Likelihood ofdecrease of night temperatures in the upper Myanmarareas.

Forecast for Nay Pyi Taw and neighbouringarea for 18-2-2008: Generally fair weather.

Forecast for Yangon and neighbouring areafor 18-2-2008: Generally fair weather.

Forecast for Mandalay and neighbouring areafor 18-2-2008: Generally fair weather.

8:30 am Brief news8:35 am Music

The flower, thesunset, the trees

8:40 am Perspectives8:45 am Music

-If I can’t haveyou

8:50 am National news9:00 am Music

-Take control9:05 am International

news9:10 am Music

-When a lovesong sings theblues

1:30 pm News/ Slogan1:40 pm Lunch time

music-Just to haveyou-If only youwere here

9:00 pm Spotlight of thestars-Jimmysommer ville

9:10 pm Article9:20 pm Drug/Women

Afrairs9:35 pm Vocal Gems

-Casablanca-Differentseasons

9:45 pm News/Slogan10:00 pm PEL

Monday, 18 FebruaryTune in today

Monday, 18 FebruaryView on today

7:00 am1. Recitation of Parittas

by Missionary Saya-daw U Ottamathara

7:25 am2. To be healthy

exercise7:30 am3. Morning news7:40 am4. Nice and sweet song7:50 am5. Song of national

spirit8:05 am6. Cute little of dancers8:25 am7. At^; At^; At^; At^; At^;“pioc\p∑´“pioc\p∑´“pioc\p∑´“pioc\p∑´“pioc\p∑´

8:35 am8. International news8:45 am9. Grammer made easy4:00 pm1. Martial song4:15 pm2. Song for uphold

National Spirit4:30 pm3. Aew;qc\tk˚qiul\pvaer;Aew;qc\tk˚qiul\pvaer;Aew;qc\tk˚qiul\pvaer;Aew;qc\tk˚qiul\pvaer;Aew;qc\tk˚qiul\pvaer;

Rup\�mc\qMÂka;qc\Kn\;saRup\�mc\qMÂka;qc\Kn\;saRup\�mc\qMÂka;qc\Kn\;saRup\�mc\qMÂka;qc\Kn\;saRup\�mc\qMÂka;qc\Kn\;sattiyN˙s\(qmiuc\;AT¨;‘p)ttiyN˙s\(qmiuc\;AT¨;‘p)ttiyN˙s\(qmiuc\;AT¨;‘p)ttiyN˙s\(qmiuc\;AT¨;‘p)ttiyN˙s\(qmiuc\;AT¨;‘p)(qmiuc\;)(qmiuc\;)(qmiuc\;)(qmiuc\;)(qmiuc\;)

4:45 pm4. 2008KuN˙s\tk˚qiul\wc\\tn\; 2008KuN˙s\tk˚qiul\wc\\tn\; 2008KuN˙s\tk˚qiul\wc\\tn\; 2008KuN˙s\tk˚qiul\wc\\tn\; 2008KuN˙s\tk˚qiul\wc\\tn\;

saem;p∑´´Baqarp\Siuc\rasaem;p∑´´Baqarp\Siuc\rasaem;p∑´´Baqarp\Siuc\rasaem;p∑´´Baqarp\Siuc\rasaem;p∑´´Baqarp\Siuc\raqc\Kn\;saqc\Kn\;saqc\Kn\;saqc\Kn\;saqc\Kn\;sa(qK¥açBaqarp\)(qK¥açBaqarp\)(qK¥açBaqarp\)(qK¥açBaqarp\)(qK¥açBaqarp\)

5:10 pm5. Dance variety5:25 pm6. Songs and dance of

national races5:35 pm7. {mc\;mqieq;påB¨;k∑a}{mc\;mqieq;påB¨;k∑a}{mc\;mqieq;påB¨;k∑a}{mc\;mqieq;påB¨;k∑a}{mc\;mqieq;påB¨;k∑a}

(Era'c˙k\ep¥aeÂka\'K¥s\sra(Era'c˙k\ep¥aeÂka\'K¥s\sra(Era'c˙k\ep¥aeÂka\'K¥s\sra(Era'c˙k\ep¥aeÂka\'K¥s\sra(Era'c˙k\ep¥aeÂka\'K¥s\sraÂkøÂkøqc\;'eA;eA;Kiuc\)ÂkøÂkøqc\;'eA;eA;Kiuc\)ÂkøÂkøqc\;'eA;eA;Kiuc\)ÂkøÂkøqc\;'eA;eA;Kiuc\)ÂkøÂkøqc\;'eA;eA;Kiuc\)(dåRiuk\ta_eS∑zc\Tiuk\)(dåRiuk\ta_eS∑zc\Tiuk\)(dåRiuk\ta_eS∑zc\Tiuk\)(dåRiuk\ta_eS∑zc\Tiuk\)(dåRiuk\ta_eS∑zc\Tiuk\)

5:45 pm8. Musical programme

(The RadioMyanmar ModernMusic Troupe

6:00 pm9. Evening news6:30 pm10. Weather report6:35 pm11. Al˙R˙amy\' l˙kmıawy\Al˙R˙amy\' l˙kmıawy\Al˙R˙amy\' l˙kmıawy\Al˙R˙amy\' l˙kmıawy\Al˙R˙amy\' l˙kmıawy\7:05 pm12. Musical Programme 7:20 pm13. Niuc\cM�Ka;zat\lm\;t∑´Niuc\cM�Ka;zat\lm\;t∑´Niuc\cM�Ka;zat\lm\;t∑´Niuc\cM�Ka;zat\lm\;t∑´Niuc\cM�Ka;zat\lm\;t∑´

{{{{{�møKiu;ewewK¥s\qk\tv\�møKiu;ewewK¥s\qk\tv\�møKiu;ewewK¥s\qk\tv\�møKiu;ewewK¥s\qk\tv\�møKiu;ewewK¥s\qk\tv\}}}}}(Apiuc\;-(Apiuc\;-(Apiuc\;-(Apiuc\;-(Apiuc\;-2424242424)))))(zat\qim\;piuc\;)(zat\qim\;piuc\;)(zat\qim\;piuc\;)(zat\qim\;piuc\;)(zat\qim\;piuc\;)

8:00 pm14. News15. International news16. Weather report17. Niuc\cM�Ka;zat\lm\;t∑´Niuc\cM�Ka;zat\lm\;t∑´Niuc\cM�Ka;zat\lm\;t∑´Niuc\cM�Ka;zat\lm\;t∑´Niuc\cM�Ka;zat\lm\;t∑´

{{{{{emt†am¥U\;‘pic\emt†am¥U\;‘pic\emt†am¥U\;‘pic\emt†am¥U\;‘pic\emt†am¥U\;‘pic\}}}}}(Apiuc\;-(Apiuc\;-(Apiuc\;-(Apiuc\;-(Apiuc\;-44444)))))

18. The next day’s programme

Crash at street car racekills 8 near Washington

WASHINGTON, 17 Feb — Eight people were killedearly on Saturday when a car plowed into roadsidespectators watching an illegal high-speed street race ina town near Washington, according to media reports.

Quake jolts Bolivia-Chileborder, no damage

SANTIAGO, 17 Feb — A 6.0 magnitude earthquakestruck Bolivia in the region of Potosi near the borderwith Chile on Saturday, but there were no immediatereports of injuries or damages.

A Maryland State Police

helicopter takes off from

the scene of a car crash

on Indian Head

Highway, on 16 Feb,

2008, in Accokeek, Md.

INTERNET

A sedan, which hadnot taken part in the race,crashed into the crowdgathered along a highwayin Accokeek, Maryland, 20miles (30 kilometres) southof Washington, at about 3a.m., The Washington Postsaid.

“The driver told policethat he was blinded by acloud of white smoke anddebris kicked up by thespinning wheels of twovehicles that had justfinished racing,” it said.

“It was a very horrificscene with the number ofindividuals in the road atone time and the amountof debris,” the Post quo -ted Corporal ClintonCopeland of the PrinceGeorge’s County PoliceDepartment as saying.

Eight people werekilled and at least five were

injured, including apassenger in the sedan, thenewspaper said. Police hadsaid earlier the passengerwas among those killed.

The Post quoted oneof the spectators as saying acrowd of between 200 and300 people had gathered towatch the race.

Copeland said it wastoo early to determine ifany criminal charges wouldbe filed.—MNA/Reuters

The US GeologicalSurvey said the quake wascentered about 105 miles(170 kilometres)northeast of Calama,Chile, and had amagnitude of 6.0.

It hit at 1445 GMT ata depth of 83 miles (134kilometres), the agencysaid.

No injuries or damageswere reported in either

country. Chile’semergency responseagency described thetremor as a “low intensityquake”.

The mineral-richnorthern Chile region hasexperienced severaltremors of similar strengthsince a mammoth 7.7-magnitude quake onNovember 14 interruptedproduction at some of thecountry’s largest coppermines.

MNA/Reuters

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM15

12th Waxing of Tabodwe 1369 ME Monday, 18 February, 2008

People’s Desire� We favour stability.� We favour peace.� We oppose unrest and violence.

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� Skyful liars attempting to destroy nation� BBC lying

VOA deceivingRFA setting up hostilities

� Beware! Don’t be bought by those ill-wishers

* Development of agriculture as the base and all-round development of other sectors of theeconomy as well

* Proper evolution of the market-oriented eco-nomic system

* Development of the economy inviting partici-pation in terms of technical know-how andinvestments from sources inside the countryand abroad

* The initiative to shape the national economymust be kept in the hands of the State and thenational peoples

* Uplift of the morale and morality of the entirenation

* Uplift of national prestige and integrity and pres-ervation and safeguarding of cultural heritageand national character

* Uplift of dynamism of patriotic spirit* Uplift of health, fitness and education standards

of the entire nation

* Stability of the State, community peace andtranquillity, prevalence of law and order

* National reconsolidation* Emergence of a new enduring State Consti-

tution* Building of a new modern developed nation in

accord with the new State Constitution

Four economic objectives

Four social objectives

Four political objectives

YANGON, 17 Feb — Lt-Gen Myint Swe of theMinistry of Defence attended the 6th Annual GeneralMeeting of Myanmar Information Technology Corpo-ration Ltd for 2006-07 financial year at the meetinghall of Myanmar Info-Tech on Hline Campus, here,this morning.

Also present on the occasion were Chairmanof Yangon Division Peace and Development CouncilCommander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Hla HtayWin, Chairman of e-National Task Force Minister forCommunications, Posts and Telegraphs Brig-GenThein Zaw, Vice-Chairman member of Civil ServiceSelection and Training Board U Aung Myint, DeputyMinister for CPT Maj-Gen Thein Tun and officials, the

Lt-Gen Myint Swe attends 6th Annual

General Meeting of MITC LtdChairman of the Board of Directors of the associationand director members and share-holders.

Chairman of e-National Task Force MinisterBrig-Gen Thein Zaw explained the endeavours of theState for development of IT sector.

Chairman of the BODs U Thein Oo reportedon tasks of the corporation.

Afterwards, the BOD’s report, the financialstatement and the audit report were submitted andapproved. Next, the meeting assigned duties to theaudit party, elected new BODs and replied to thequeries raised by the share-holders.

The meeting ended with the concluding re-marks by the chairman. — MNA

Significant Night Temperatures

Haka (-2ºC)Loilem (-1ºC)Heho and Namhsam (1ºC)An (2ºC)Pinlaung and PyinOoLwin (4ºC)

Lt-Gen Myint Swe of Ministry of Defence attends 6th Annual General Meeting of MITC andMinister Brig-Gen Thein Zaw making a speech.—MNA

18-2-08 NL 8/25/18, 02:58 PM16