Japan-Myanmar Foreign Ministers' Meeting

July 2, 2012
Japanese

(Photo)Japan-Myanmar Foreign Ministers' Meeting-2

On Monday, July 2, Mr. Koichiro Gemba, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with Mr. Wunna Maung Lwin, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, from 2:30 pm for approximately 50 minutes. An overview of the meeting is as follows:

Minister Gemba stated that he was pleased to meet Minister Wunna Maung Lwin again following their meeting in April and was grateful for Minister Wunna Maung Lwin's keynote lecture scheduled to be delivered at the World Ministerial Conference on Disaster Reduction in Tohoku. Minister Gemba also stated that such frequent meetings between the two parties were proof of progress of bilateral relations. Minister Gemba stated that Japan would even more strongly support the Government of Myanmar so that the people of Myanmar can feel the fruit of democratization, national reconciliation, and economic reforms of Myanmar, and he would like to exchange views, specifically to promptly for the quick realize agreements between the leaders of the two countries.
In response, Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin stated that he was pleased to have visited Japan for the third time since last year, and the Government of Myanmar had been continuously making efforts for democratization and national reconciliation and would make such efforts in the future as well.
Minister Gemba stated that both private and governmental sectors of Japan were united as one to crystallize agreements and as part of such efforts, proposed launching of a framework for discussion between the two countries. In response to this proposal, Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin stated that the Government of Myanmar would like to cooperate. Moreover, Minister Gemba explained that Japan would provide JPY 1.6 billion-scale support to respond to the power shortage problem and would swiftly promote consideration on renovation of existing power plants in Myanmar.
In addition, Minister Gemba stated that while implementing approximately JPY 2.6 billion-scale supports, which had already been decided, for the improvement of people's living, including those of National Races, he would like to expand a successful model of Kayin State, where peace process is proceeding, to other states. Furthermore, Minister Gemba commissioned Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, the Chairman of the Nippon Foundation, as the "Goodwill Ambassador for the Welfare of the National Races in Myanmar" to coordinate with the supports to National Races that the Nippon Foundation has been implementing. In response, Minister Wunna Maung Lwin expressed his gratitude for the support in solving the National Races issue in Myanmar.
On the economic front, Minister Gemba explained that the Japan-Myanmar Human Resource Development Center would soon be launched in order to develop industrial human resources in Myanmar and for this purpose the Government of Japan had held preliminary seminars in Yangon on this day.
Concerning human exchanges and support for democratization, Minister Gemba explained that the Government of Japan invited a bipartisan group of 42 young politicians from Myanmar this week. Moreover, mentioning the Cultural and Sports exchange Missions which had visited Myanmar last week, Minister Gemba stated that the Government of Japan would accept suggestions concerning sports, modern culture, intellectual exchanges, and other sectors in the future to implement specific policies. In response, Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin stated that he was grateful for the extensive mission from Japan, and the Government of Myanmar would also like to dispatch a mission to introduce traditional culture of Myanmar to Japan. Minister Gemba stated that dispatching of a Myanmarese cultural mission was a good idea and welcomed the idea.

(*The foregoing is a provisional translation. The date indicated above denotes the date of issue of the original press release in Japanese.)

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Main Cooperation Projects of Assistance to National Races[PDF]
Assistance towards Myanmar’s National Races[PDF]
Three Main Pillars of The Nippon Foundation’s Projects[PDF]

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