Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Complete Reopening of Universities in Myanmar

July 24, 2000

The Government of Myanmar started to reopen universities in the country gradually from June 27 this year; these universities had been closed since December 1996. As of July 24, all universities in Myanmar are functional again. Concerned about the impact that the closure of the universities might have on the younger generations of Myanmar, Japan has been urging the Government of Myanmar on various occasions to reopen the universities soon. The present decision by the Government of Myanmar should be highly regarded as a positive measure, which is also a response to the voices from Japan and the international community.
The Government of Japan hopes that the Government of Myanmar will further promote improvement of the educational environment in the reopened universities. Japan also expects that more proactive measures will be taken for the democratization and improvement of the human rights situation in Myanmar.

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