Myanmar reshuffles cabinet

The ruling Myanmar State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) on Saturday made a reshuffle of its cabinet, appointing three new ministers and removing the foreign, agricultural and transport ministers, state-run Radio Myanmar reported Saturday evening.

In its announcement signed by its First Secretary Lieutenant-General Soe Win, the SPDC appointed Major-General Nyan Win as minister of foreign affairs, Colonel Zaw Win as minister of cooperatives and Brigadier-General Tin Naing Thein as minister of commerce.

Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs U Win Aung, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Major-General Nyunt Tin and Minister of Transport Major-General Hla Myint Swe were removed from their posts.

Minister of Labor U Tin Winn was assigned concurrently as minister at the Prime Minister's Office.

Minister of Cooperatives Major-General Htay Oo was reassigned as minister of agriculture and irrigation, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office Major-General Thein Swe as minister of transport and Minister of Commerce Brigadier-General Pyi Sone as minister at the Prime Minister's Office.

Colonel Maung Myint was appointed as deputy minister of foreign affairs, replacing U Khin Maung Win, who had been removed.

No reason was given for the reshuffle, which was made at the 16th anniversary of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)'s take-over of the state power.

It is the 15th time the Myanmar government has reshuffled its cabinet since Nov. 15, 1997, when the country renamed the SLORC as SPDC.

Source: Xinhua