Tuesday, April 17, 2012
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Year ‘was a momentous one’: state-run newspaper
Tuesday, 17 April 2012 19:12 Mizzima News

(Mizzima) – An editorial in the official state-run newspaper ticked off significant progress made by the Burmese government over the course of the just ended Burmese calendar year.

“The preceding year was a momentous one which witnessed plenty of noticeable changes in various fields,” said an editorial in The New Light of Myanmar, the state-run newspaper this week.

During the past year, the new government, which took office on March 30, 2011, conducted a series of dramatic reforms that won widespread domestic support and international recognition with a number of high-profile officials from Western countries.


Burmese President Thein Sein, center, at a retreat session of the 20th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Phnom Penh on April 4, 2012. Photo: AFP

The government sponsored a free and fair parliamentary by-election on April 1, 2012, it said.

“Some sanctions against her [Myanmar] were lifted with some to be ended soon,” the editorial said.

The editorial noted that Parliament members debated public affairs and passed new legislation, acting as a check and balance within the Parliament.

A number of peace talks between the government and ethnic minority armed groups had reached agreements, it said.

“Signs indicated Myanmar's economy would soon boom, inviting more foreign direct investment. Lawmakers are also working to pass new legislation to lure more foreign investors,” the editorial said.

Foreign exchange rate were allowed to float after being fixed for decades.

The Burmese government has had more and more transparency in the previous year, boosting chances for realization of “good governance and clean government” as stressed by the president, the editorial said.

Burma’s Parliament is scheduled to reconvene on April 23 when newly elected lawmakers including Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy, are expected to join the third parliamentary session.

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