Myanmar team to climb world highest peak

The first Myanmar mountaineering group including two foreign experts will scale the world highest peak -- Mount Everest starting from Saturday, local media reported Thursday. The team including two foreigners have been trained in Nepal, observing the modern environmental protection system around Mt. Everest, said the Myanmar Freedom Daily. The trip will take two months. The national flag which will be taken by the team has been handed over by Myanmar President U Thein Sein and Commander-in- Chief of Myanmar's Defense Services Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing. "We are ready for the mountain climbing now and will try our best to fly the Myanmar flag atop Mt. Everest where a Myanmar national has never stepped on," one of the team members was quoted as saying. The expedition was funded by the Htoo Foundation, owned by Myanmar businessman Tay Za who is said to be one of the richest people in Myanmar. Mount Everest is located between China and Nepal and the Myanmar team will climb from the Nepali side.