File photo taken on Dec. 13, 2005, shows Myanmar Prime Minister General Soe Win (R) poses for a picture with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2nd R), Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (2nd L) and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the 4th India-ASEAN meeting during the 11th ASEAN summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Soe Win, 58, died in Yangon Friday, according to the state-run Radio Myanmar.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    YANGON, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar Prime Minister General Soe Win passed away in Yangon Friday, according to the state-run RadioMyanmar.

    Soe Win died at 5:30 p.m. (1100 GMT) on Friday at the Mingaladon Military Hospital-2, the report said.

    Late Soe Win, 58, allegedly suffered from leukemia, passed away after he was brought back for the last time to Yangon from Singapore where he had undergone medical treatment since March this year. He was once taken back to Yangon on May 3 but sent for treatment again in Singapore after 10 days.

    Over the period of his medical treatment at home and abroad until his death, First Secretary of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Lieutenant-General Thein Sein acted as prime minister on his behalf.

    Soe Win became prime minister on Oct. 19, 2004, replacing the former's, General Khin Nyunt, who was then sacked on corruption charge and later imposed on a long-year suspended sentence in 2005.

    Soe Win, born in Taunggyi, had been North-West Commander and Chairman of Sagaing Division Peace and Development Council in 1997. He was appointed as SPDC Second Secretary in February 2003 and promoted to SPDC First Secretary in August the same year.

Premier Wen sends condolences over death of Myanmar PM

    BEIJING, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao sent condolences Saturday to Thein Sein, Myanmar's acting prime minister and first secretary of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), over the death of Prime Minister Soe Win.

    General Soe Win died at 5:30 p.m. local time (1100 GMT) on Friday at the Mingaladon Military Hospital-2 in Yangon, the state-run Radio Myanmar reported. Full story