S'pore Leaders Hail Positive Developments In Myanmar

SINGAPORE, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- Singapore President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong welcomed the positive developments in Myanmar and affirmed Singapore's commitment to work with the Myanmar Government in various areas, such as capacity building and human resource development. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this was conveyed by the leaders during the state visit of Myanmar President U Thein Sein to the republic. Thein Sein called on Tan here on Monday, and also met Lee, who hosted lunch. He also conveyed his appreciation for Singapore's support in Myanmar's bid to chair Asean in 2014, and the recent call by Asean foreign ministers for the West to lift their sanctions on Myanmar. Following the meetings, Thein Sein and Lee witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the Singapore-Myanmar Technical Cooperation Programme by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K. Shanmugam, and Myanmar Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin. Under the Technical Cooperation Programme, Singapore will provide training to, and share its developmental experiences with, Myanmar in three key broad areas, in line with the Myanmar Government's priorities, namely, economic development, human resource development, and public administration. -- BERNAMA Malaysia singapore