<TABLE id=msgUN border=0 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>
Coffeeshop Chit Chat - SM Goh discusses democracy with Myanmar'</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>Spearmint000 (Spearmint888) <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>10:27 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 2) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>15002.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>HA HA HA HA HA HA .............................
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/435353/1/.html
SM Goh discusses democracy with Myanmar's leaders
By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 11 June 2009 2108 hrs
YANGON: Singapore's Senior Minister, Goh Chok Tong, said on Thursday he had a constructive discussion with Myanmar's leaders, including Senior General Than Shwe, on Myanmar's road to democracy.
The purpose of Mr Goh's visit to Myanmar is to update himself on the political and economic development in the country.
Politically, Mr Goh noted that Myanmar is a complex country. Its stability, he said, rests on three legs - bringing together the military, the ethnic group insurgents, and the opposition.
The point made is that Myanmar must change because the world has changed. Mr Goh offered two ways to go about doing this. One is to have a fair and transparent election in 2010. And the second is to make sure the elections are inclusive - meaning that all political parties must be allowed to contest.
Mr Goh also made the point that pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently on trial for breeching the rules governing her house arrest, must be allowed to campaign during the upcoming election because only then will the election be seen as fair and inclusive.
During the visit, Mr Goh also opened a hospital which was part of reconstruction efforts after Cyclone Nargis.
Before the hospital came along, the villagers' only access to medical facilities was about an hour's boat ride away. So having medical facilities right at the villagers' doorsteps will be of tremendous help to them.
The hospital, called the Kayin Chaung Station Hospital, will serve some 10,000 people.
Mr Goh officiated the opening of the hospital on Thursday and he noted the key role ASEAN played in the rapid despatch of aid to Myanmar during Cyclone Nargis.
Mr Goh added that Singapore strongly supports the extension of the mandate given to the ASEAN UN Myanmar tripartite core group by another year till July 2010. This group was formed to oversee and expedite the flow of international aid to victims and survivors of Cyclone Nargis.
- CNA/yt
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/435353/1/.html
SM Goh discusses democracy with Myanmar's leaders
By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 11 June 2009 2108 hrs
YANGON: Singapore's Senior Minister, Goh Chok Tong, said on Thursday he had a constructive discussion with Myanmar's leaders, including Senior General Than Shwe, on Myanmar's road to democracy.
The purpose of Mr Goh's visit to Myanmar is to update himself on the political and economic development in the country.
Politically, Mr Goh noted that Myanmar is a complex country. Its stability, he said, rests on three legs - bringing together the military, the ethnic group insurgents, and the opposition.
The point made is that Myanmar must change because the world has changed. Mr Goh offered two ways to go about doing this. One is to have a fair and transparent election in 2010. And the second is to make sure the elections are inclusive - meaning that all political parties must be allowed to contest.
Mr Goh also made the point that pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently on trial for breeching the rules governing her house arrest, must be allowed to campaign during the upcoming election because only then will the election be seen as fair and inclusive.
During the visit, Mr Goh also opened a hospital which was part of reconstruction efforts after Cyclone Nargis.
Before the hospital came along, the villagers' only access to medical facilities was about an hour's boat ride away. So having medical facilities right at the villagers' doorsteps will be of tremendous help to them.
The hospital, called the Kayin Chaung Station Hospital, will serve some 10,000 people.
Mr Goh officiated the opening of the hospital on Thursday and he noted the key role ASEAN played in the rapid despatch of aid to Myanmar during Cyclone Nargis.
Mr Goh added that Singapore strongly supports the extension of the mandate given to the ASEAN UN Myanmar tripartite core group by another year till July 2010. This group was formed to oversee and expedite the flow of international aid to victims and survivors of Cyclone Nargis.
- CNA/yt
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>