Nay Pyi Taw, 20 Jan — The twelfth regular session of first Pyidaungsu Hluttaw convened Tuesday and discussed about borrowing10.500 billion yen loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency, and membership application of Myanmar for Chemical Weapons Convention. U Thaung Tin, deputy minister for Communications and Information Technology, explained the Japanese loan will be spent on telecommunication infrastructure and upgrading Internet connection in six different categories— installation of equipment for Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay fiber network; extension of fiber network in Yangon; setting up metro fiber equipment; expanding bandwidth of national gateway for international communication; upgrading IPv 4 internet system to IPv 6; establishing telecommunication infrastructure at Thilawa Special Economic Zone. The deputy minister added that while mobile telecommunication services are being operated by private companies, the state will operate landline and fax, banking network and special economic zone which need tight security in line with the standards of ITU/APNIC. JICA?s interest rate is 0.1 percent with a 10-year suspension period and 40- year term of settlement. Regarding the message of President U Thein Sein on membership application of Chemical Weapons Convention, Deputy Minister U Tin Oo Lwin for foreign affairs made explanation. The Convention aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by States Parties. States Parties, in turn, must take the steps necessary to enforce that prohibition in respect of persons (natural or legal) within their jurisdiction. U Tin Oo Lwin said Myanmar has been a signatory to Biological Weapons Convention after the country has submitted applications at Geneva, Switzerland, on 1 December 2014 for membership to the representatives of the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia which are the founding members of the treaty. The CWC comprises a Preamble, 24 Articles, and 3 Annexes—the Annex on Chemicals, the Verification Annex, and the Confidentiality Annex. The Convention aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by States Parties. States Parties, in turn, must take the steps necessary to enforce that prohibition in respect of persons (natural or legal) within their jurisdiction. All States Parties have agreed to disarm by destroying any stockpiles of chemical weapons they may hold and any facilities which produced them, as well as any chemical weapons they abandoned on the territory of other States Parties in the past. States Parties have also agreed to create a verification regime for certain toxic chemicals and their precursors in order to ensure that such chemicals are only used for purposes not prohibited. One-hundred and ninety states have given their consent to be bound by the CWC. Myanmar and Israel have signed but not yet ratified the treaty and four states—Angola, North Korea, Egypt, and South Sudan— have not accede to the treaty. State parties have destroyed 72,524 metric tonnes of chemical weapons accounted for 84.95 percent in the world. Deputy Minister U Tin Oo Lwin said Myanmar?s aspiration to apply for membership of CWC would be a gesture of protection against chemical not only in Asian region, but global community. Membership of CWC will take effect after 30 days of application to UN Secretary-General. U Tin Oo Lwin made a conclusion remark that CWC membership will benefit Myanmar through industrial sector, and a good impression of international community for global peace. Pyidaungsu Hluttaw agreed application for membership of CWC.