YANGON, January 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt,
first secretary of the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council
has disclosed that the country's trade sector contributes 23.9
percent of its Gross Domestic Products (GDP).
   Khin Nyunt made the remarks at a work coordination meeting of
the Myanmar Ministry of Commerce here Friday afternoon, official
newspaper The New Light of Myanmar reported Saturday.
   Measures are being taken to improve the trade sector so that
the contribution of the trade sector to GDP can grow by 11.9
percent during the present five-year plan period and up to 24.5
percent in the 2005-2006 financial year, the last year of the plan,
he said.
   In six nations out of ASEAN members, the system concerning the
ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) has been introduced, he added,
disclosing that by 2006, Myanmar will integrate itself into AFTA
and reduce customs duties in the trade sector among ASEAN members.
   According to the statistics of the Ministry of Commerce, the
Myanmar's foreign trade volume in 1998-1999 fiscal year was over 3,
700 million U.S. dollars. The foreign trade volume during the
period of nine months at the end of the third quarter of the
fiscal 2001-2002 was over 4,200 million dollars.  Enditem