Bandar Seri Begawan - Myanmar's leader President U Thein Sein will arrive in the capital today for a three-day state visit aimed at bolstering bilateral ties ahead of Brunei's ASEAN chairmanship next year.
Thein Sein is expected to call on His Majesty, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for a one-on-one meeting on Tuesday. A state banquet will be held in his honour later that evening. The president is also slated to visit Universiti Brunei Darussalam where he will see the UBDI IBM Centre and be briefed on higher education in Brunei.
"The aim of the state visit of President Thein Sein to Brunei Darussalam is to strengthen the already cordial bilateral relations and to promote areas of cooperation to the mutual benefit of the two peoples," said Yin Yin Myint, Myanmar's newly appointed ambassador to the Sultanate.
"Myanmar and Brunei also enjoy cordial relations in the context of ASEAN. Myanmar wishes to congratulate the readiness of Brunei Darussalam to take over the ASEAN chairmanship for 2013."
The ambassador added that her country will fully support Brunei-proposed imitatives to move the region closer to a single economic community by 2015.
Brunei established diplomatic relations with Myanmar in 1993 and set up an embassy in Yangon in 2007.
Thein Sein previously visited Brunei in 2008 as prime minister, a position abolished by Myanmar's government last year.
Thein Sein's government has ushered in several reforms since he took office last year, including lifting restrictions on media and holding parliamentary elections. Nobel peace laureate and pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi won a seat in the lower house following her release from 15 years of house arrest under the military junta.
"In accordance with the aspirations of the Myanmar people, the government has chosen the path of democracy and economic reforms," said Ambassador Myint. "New democratic institutions like Union Hluttaw (Parliament) and regional Hluttaws have been established and members of the Hluttaws have been elected to represent their constituencies."
Myint stressed that the Myanmar government will continue to pursue an "active, independent and non-aligned foreign policy".
Democratic reforms have resulted in thawing of relations between Myanmar and the West, with economic sanctions being lifted and several high-profile visits to the once pariah state, including a one-day visit by US President Barack Obama last month.
"The United States and western countries that once imposed (economic) sanctions on Myanmar have decided to suspend some measures and to terminate others. President Obama in visiting Cambodia to attend the 21st ASEAN Summit made a day visit to Myanmar in recognition of positive developments," said Myint.
"While Myanmar wishes to cultivate friendly ties with all countries in the world, the major tenet of Myanmar's foreign policy is to attach importance to its relations with its neighbours."
--Courtesy of The Brunei Times
Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2012/12/04/myanmar-president-arriving-today-on-3-day-state-visit/
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