Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	SRI PERDANA, KUALA LUMPUR 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	06/01/93 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE OFFICIAL DINNER IN HONOUR OF 
			HIS EXCELLENCY MR. CHUAN LEEKPAI 
			PRIME MINISTER OF THAILAND 



 
    It  is  indeed  a great pleasure for me to welcome Your
Excellency and distinguished members of your  delegation  to
Kuala  Lumpur on your first official visit to Malaysia since
assuming office as Prime Minister of Thailand.  We view  the
presence of several of your Cabinet colleagues and important
members  of  the  private  sector in your delegation as very
significant, symbolising the close  economic  and  political
relations that exist between our two countries.  I look for-
ward  to  the  opportunity of having close consultations and
exchange of views with you during the course of  this  visit
on ways to further enhance these relations.
2.   Built  firmly  on  the  foundation of close traditional
ties and in the spirit of good neighbourliness, Malaysia and
Thailand have, over the years, built an  impressive  network
of cooperation.  This has brought about great success in the
fight  against communist terrorists along our common border,
which culminated in the elimination of the communist  threat
in 1990.  We have equally benefitted from our cooperation in
such  fields as anti-drug trafficking measures, agriculture,
transport and communications.
3.   It is  indeed  gratifying  that  the  Malaysia-Thailand
Joint  Authority,  the establishment of which was decided in
1979 to jointly explore and exploit non-living resources  in
the  overlapping  continental  shelf area of both countries,
has now been formed  and  its  headquarters  established  in
Kuala  Lumpur.  I am confident that the Joint Authority will
yet be another example of tangible cooperation  between  our
two countries.
4.   Trade  between  the  two  countries  has also increased
steadily over the years.   In 1987,  total  bilateral  trade
amounted to 2.4 billion Malaysian Ringgit and in 1991 it was
5.4 billion Malaysian Ringgit.  Thailand today is Malaysia's
second  largest  trading  partner  in ASEAN and 14th largest
foreign investor.
5.   Notwithstanding these impressive range of  cooperation,
more  need  to be done in order to tap the full potential of
trade and economic opportunities available in  each  other's
country.    For this reason I am particularly happy that you
have included in your delegation prominent leaders from  the
government  as well as the private sector.  I hope that this
visit would give them the opportunity to  learn  more  about
the  opportunities  available in this country and would spur
them to further strengthen the economic and trade links  be-
tween  Malaysia  and Thailand.   The ending of the communist
threat along our common border had opened new scope for  co-
operation  both  at  government and private sector levels in
the economic as well as social fields.
6.   The need for closer trade and economic ties between our
two countries and between ASEAN as a whole cannot  be  over-
emphasised.    In line with the decision of the Fourth ASEAN
Summit, we have moved towards the implementation of the CEPT
arrangement and eventually AFTA.  For AFTA to be meaningful,
trade and investment between ASEAN nations must be  substan-
tially increased.  I submit that earnest efforts in this di-
rection must be made now so that ASEAN can quickly grow into
a  truly  dynamic  organisation capable of meeting the chal-
lenges posed by the emergence of regional economic groupings
in other parts of the world.  We must be prepared to examine
different concepts and levels of cooperation that would con-
tribute  to  the  strengthening  of  ASEAN   as   a   whole.
Malaysia's  keenness  to  discuss  with  the  Governments of
Thailand and Indonesia on a sub-regional  approach  to  eco-
nomic cooperation, specifically the Northern Growth Triangle
involving  the northern states of Malaysia and the provinces
of South Thailand and Northern Sumatera,  was  motivated  by
this  desire.    Considering  the  mutual  advantages  to be
gained, I trust that you, Mr. Prime Minister, would give the
idea due consideration and attention.   It is  only  through
greater economic strength and cohesion can ASEAN play an ef-
fective  role  in  safeguarding  its interests in the larger
world, including the protection of free trade  which  is  so
vital to ASEAN's prosperity.
7.   Talking   about   the  protection  of  free  trade,  on
Malaysia's initiative ASEAN had accepted the concept  of  an
East  Asia  Economic  Caucus  and  ASEAN officials have been
tasked with deliberating on ways to  advance  and  implement
the  concept, the central objective of which is to provide a
forum for consultation on free trade and other  related  de-
velopment  issues.    Let  me  say  how  much  we appreciate
Thailand's support for the concept which we see as vital  in
the light of the emerging protectionist tendencies among re-
gional  economic  groupings  as well as the uncertainty over
the Uruguay Round of GATT multilateral trade negotiations.
8.   Looking beyond ASEAN to the other countries  of  South-
east  Asia,  it  is  indeed  heartening  to see the economic
transformation  taking  place  in  Vietnam,  Laos  and  even
Cambodia.  Malaysia is happy that, like Thailand, it is also
able  to  assist  and countribute in some modest ways to the
economic reconstruction of these countries through trade and
private investment.  We are doing so in the  belief  that  a
prosperous  and  stable  Cambodia,  Laos and Vietnam closely
linked to ASEAN or even as members of ASEAN would contribute
to the peace, stability and prosperity of the entire  South-
east Asian region.  The same goes for Myanmar.
9.   It is for this reason that we view with serious concern
the  refusal  of the Khmer Rouge to participate fully in the
peace process in Cambodia.  Such a stand runs  the  risk  of
plunging  the  country  back into a civil war, affecting the
peace and stability of the entire region.  We would like  to
appeal  to the leaders of Khmer Rouge to return to the peace
process and spare the country  from  turmoil  and  hardship.
While  ASEAN  has  stood  firmly  behind  the efforts of the
United Nations to enforce the Paris Agreement, we would like
in particular to pay tribute to Thailand for its decision to
fully enforce United Nations Security  Council  trade  sanc-
tions against the Khmer Rouge even though some Thai business
interests might be affected.
10.  Concerned  as  we  are at the situation in Cambodia, it
would be difficult for us to ignore the death,  deprivation,
hunger and blatant violation of human rights taking place in
other  parts  of  the world.   I am thinking specifically of
Somalia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.  Though we could feel  some-
what  relieved  that  the  situation in Somalia has improved
following the despatch to that country of  an  international
force  led  by  the  United States, the situation in Bosnia-
Herzegovina continues to be grim.  Serbian guns continue  to
pound  senselessly  on  innocent  civilians  in Sarajevo and
other Bosnian-controlled  areas.    Thousands  of  Bosnians,
Muslim  and  non-Muslims have been and are being raped, tor-
tured and massacred everyday.  How many thousands more  must
be  killed and tortured before the U.N. decide to use force?
Peace negotiations have proven futile again and again.  Only
force can bring about results.  We cannot believe  that  the
forces  of  righteousness  will  only assert themselves when
their quarry will pose no lethal threat to their forces.
11.  The tradition of regular exchanges of visits  and  con-
sultations  between the Prime Ministers and other leaders of
Malaysia and Thailand has been well-established.  This is  a
tradition  that  we  in  Malaysia  intend  to  maintain  and
nurture, for this is the way it should be among friends  and
neighbours.    It is through such consultations that we have
managed to solve many delicate issues between our two  coun-
tries.    So I look forward to more meetings with you and to
your future visits to this country.   I hope your  visit  to
Malaysia  this  time, despite its brevity, will be an enjoy-
able and profitable one and that the reception and hospital-
ity extended to you and members of your delegation will  not
be found wanting.
12.  Being the newly elected Head of Government of an impor-
tant  and  fast  developing  country,  high expectations are
placed in you by the people of Thailand.  You have an  enor-
mous task ahead.  May I take this occasion to wish you every
success in carrying out your responsibilities.