Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : MOSCOW
Tarikh/Date : 30/07/87
Tajuk/Title : THE STATE BANQUET HOSTED BY HIS
EXCELLENCY MR. V.S. MURAKHOVSKY THE
ACTING PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNCON
OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
His Excellency Mr. Nikolai Ryzhkov;
Madame Ryzhkov;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am happy to be in Moscow the capital city of this
great country, Russia -- a city that I have read so much
about but have never been to. May I take this opportunity
to express my gratitude to the Government of the Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics for the excellent arrangements
and generous hospitality accorded to me and my delegation.
2. The program that has been drawn up will enable me and
my delegation to see different parts of your country and
enable us to meet your people of various nationalities. It
will no doubt give us a better perspective and a deeper
understanding of your country and your people.
Mr. Prime Minister,
3. I am happy to note that the process of domestic
reconstruction has been complemented with new and vigorous
foreign policies, especially in the search for peace and
finding new solutions in ending regional conflicts.
4. As a non-nuclear nation, firmly committed to peace and
disarmament, Malaysia welcomes your initiatives on nuclear
disarmament. We agree with you that the world must deal
with the threat posed by nuclear confrontation and that new
thinking and political courage are required to end the arms
race. It is our hope that the Geneva talks will bear some
fruit soon for the sake of mankind. Many other pressing
issues could be easily resolved if the threat of nuclear war
is lifted and goodwill prevails among nations of the world.
Just think of the enormous resources that it will free for
the constructive development of nations and mankind.
5. Our discussions have revealed that the Soviet Union and
Malaysia share many common perceptions on global issues. We
share your concerns on disarmament and the need to enhance
global security. Both our countries are supportive of the
role of the United Nations and its associated agencies. We
both implacably support the struggle in South Africa for
human dignity and freedom. Our views on the situation in the
Middle East coincide. As a non-aligned nation Malaysia
welcomes Soviet understanding of the aspirations of the
Non-Aligned Movement.
6. Malaysia recognises that the Soviet Union is an
integral part of Asia and the Pacific. In this context we
welcome the important statement on Asian-Pacific security
made by General Secretary Gorbachev in Vladivostok last
year. The statement was a timely reminder that the Soviet
Union gave due prominence to its place and role in the
Asia-Pacific community. We are encouraged to hear that the
Soviet Union is prepared to work with the United States to
terminate the arms race, to improve relations with China
and Japan, to withdraw its troops from the territories of
other countries and to enhance its relations with the other
nations in the region, including Malaysia.
Mr. Prime Minister,
7. Malaysia and the other members of ASEAN are very
concerned with the prospects for peace, stability, and
regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. We are,
however, keenly aware that the complexity and diversity of
the countries that make up the Pacific Basin defy an
institutionalised approach to these issues. We believe that
efforts should initially be concentrated on the defusion of
regional tensions caused by conflict situations that have
led to the escalation of great power rivalry which polarise
and divide the region.
8. Our immediate concern are the conflict situations in
Afghanistan and Kampuchea the resolution of which are a sine
qua non if an atmosphere conducive to peace is to be
created.
9. Mr. Gorbachev has called Afghanistan "a bleeding
wound". To us Kampuchea has become a festering sore which
seriously infects the health of our region. If the ideals
of Vladivostok and Delhi are to be substantiated these
conflicts must be settled as soon as possible.
10. As a member of the Organisation of Islamic Conference,
Malaysia is deeply concerned with the situation in
Afghanistan. We can never accept what has happened in
Afghanistan, an independent and sovereign nation, as a fait
accompli. We welcome the Soviet Union's stated policy of
withdrawal and we look forward to an early agreement at the
Geneva Talks on this subject. We believe that the principle
of self-determination must be applied in Afghanistan.
Although we are a small developing country, we will,
nevertheless, make our stand clear against any instances
when fundamental principles of relations between nations are
ignored and violated.
11. Kampuchea is at the forefront of our concerns. At the
end of the Second Indochina War, Malaysia and other ASEAN
nations were among the first to offer friendship and
assistance to Vietnam, Laos and Kampuchea. We were motivated
by
ASEAN's doctrine of regional cooperation and our objective
was to substantiate the ASEAN proposal for a Zone of Peace,
Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) in Southeast Asia which can
only be achieved by the effective cooperation and
inter-action of its component nations based on mutual
understanding and confidence. The ZOPFAN concept presupposes
a policy of equidistance between the regional states and the
great powers which will allow the former to control their
own destinies and assume responsibility for their own
security.
12. Reference is often made to the realities of the
situation in Kampuchea. The fundamental reality is that the
occupation of Kampuchea by a foreign power has breached an
important principle of international relations, creating a
dangerous precedent. The ASEAN countries have made
reasonable proposals for the resolution of the issue. These
proposals have the support of the overwhelming majority of
the international community.
Mr. Prime Minister,
13. ASEAN has proposed the withdrawal of foreign forces and
their replacement by an international peace-keeping force to
ensure that no party can dominate Kampuchea in the interim
before internationally-supervised elections are held for a
government of a neutral non-aligned Kampuchea. This would
allow the long-suffering Kampuchean people to determine
their own future. The interests of all external powers will
also be safeguarded by this process.
14. ASEAN has worked hard to keep a dialogue open with all
interested parties so that such a solution may be
negotiated. We believe that the Soviet Union's role in this
process is critical. Your leaders have already met and
discussed the issue with some ASEAN leaders. I feel our
talks have further enhanced these consultations. The ASEAN
Summit in Manila at the end of the year will provide an
opportunity for my colleagues and I to review the results of
our consultations with you and other interested parties.
15. Resolution of the above outstanding conflicts followed
by demilitarisation of the region and other "confidence-
building measures" will certainly allow the states of the
Asia-Pacific region to come together in a cooperative effort
to exploit its enormous potentials for the well-being of
their peoples. Without progress on the issues I have
mentioned, the region will remain divided and potentially
unstable.
16. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between our two
countries. During this period a great deal has been
achieved. A major purpose of my visit here is to consolidate
our links and to discuss our future cooperation. Tomorrow,
two new agreements on maritime arrangements and double
taxati on will be signed providing further incentives for
cooperation. Government-to-government arrangements can,
however, only secure the foundations of cooperation. We have
an open free-market economy and your organisations must
develop effective business links with our private sector.
You may be assured that my Government will be supportive of
this process.
17. In the short time we have been here we have seen the
beautiful cities of Leningrad and Moscow and visited the
fascinating Uzbekistan Republic. We have learnt something
about your leadership's efforts for a better society in this
country. We have seen for ourselves some of its results.
It has been, altogether, an unforgettable experience which
we shall cherish when we leave the Soviet Union.
Mr. Prime Minister,
18. On behalf of my wife and the Malaysian delegation, may
I thank you and the Soviet Government for the very warm
welcome and generous hospitality that we have experienced
during our stay here.
Thank you.
|
|