Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : TASHKENT
Tarikh/Date : 31/03/93
Tajuk/Title : THE OFFICIAL DINNER BY THE
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF
UZBEKISTAN H.E. MR ISLAM KARIMOV
Your Excellency President Islam Karimov,
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I wish at the very outset to express my great personal
pleasure at being in Uzbekistan at a time of historical
renewal. The memory of my first visit to your beautiful
country in 1987 remains fresh in my mind. It is appropriate
that I take this opportunity, on behalf of the Government
and people of Malaysia, to congratulate you on your
assertion of sovereignty and independence and to welcome
your active participation within the community of nations.
2. I wish to express my sincere appreciation for the warm
hospitality and kind reception which has been accorded to my
wife and I and my delegation during our stay in your
beautiful country. I hope this visit will pave the way
for mutually beneficial relations between our two countries.
It is for
important leaders of the Malaysian business community. Their
task will be that of developing trade and investment
cooperation with the business community in your country.
Your Excellency,
3. The world has witnessed more revolutionary changes with
in the last three years than have taken place in all the
years
changes have
world order, based
mutual respect and
old and new, rich and
to miss this historic opportunity to benefit from the easing
of ten sions resulting
4. The national and international challenge at the turn of
the 20th Century is largely to harmonise global, regional
and national structural changes. There must be global
consolidation in the next century, since global
fragmentation brings only danger to our planet. Malaysia
believes that global consolidation could be achieved through
consensus and consent. In this regard, we have supported
the United Nations (UN) at every turn. We believe the U.N.
system provides the appropriate mechanism for creating a
more equitable world
concert to ensure that
5. While we welcome unity in the Community of Nations in the
political arena in the immediate past, making possible
settlement of several long standing conflicts in Southern
Africa, Kampuchea, Afghanistan, Angola and Somalia, we
cannot but be disturbed at the recent apparent failure of
resolve at coping with newer conflicts no less deserving of
our attention as represented by the tragedy in Bosnia
Herzegovina. At no time has the world witnessed such
blatant violations of human rights and yet failed to extend
meaningful help.
6. We see the same disturbing failure of resolve at coping
with the challenge of a more open global trading system
beneficial for all. Although Malaysia is a relatively small
country, we are nevertheless a substantial trading nation.
Our prosperity depends on our trading relations with other
countries all over the world, both large and small. Much
benefit is derived from trading relations between countries.
It is for this reason that we have endeavoured to open
trading relations with as many countries, in as many regions
of
strengthening economic and trade relations with your country
, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. Let us work
together as partners for our prosperity.
7. Your country is embarking on economic and political
reforms. We fully support your efforts. I believe that our
two countries can usefully share and benefit from each other
's experiences. Since achieving our independence 35 years
ago, Malaysia has transformed its economy. From being a
raw-material exporter we are now a leading manufacturing
centre and exporter of manufactured goods. We would be very
happy to share with your country our experience and
expertise, especially in such areas as agricultural
management, privatisation and industrial development. For
this purpose, Malaysia has established an ongoing economic
and technical cooperation programme with all developing
countries. We welcomed recently participants from Uzbekistan
at the Malaysian Institute of Diplomacyand Foreign Relations
. This we hope is the beginning of more such mutual
participation in other areas of training where our two
countries have proven experience and expertise.
Your
8. I observed earlier that the world is undergoing
revolutionary changes, with new patterns of regional and
international cooperation emerging. While bilateral
relations and bilateral cooperation play an important role
in developing peaceful relations between nations, regional
cooperation has become even more relevant. Our own
experience with the Association of South-East Asian Nations
(ASEAN) exemplify this. I believe that the Economic
Cooperation Organisation (ECO) and the Organisation of
Heads of State of Central Asia convened by President Karimov
could also play a vital role inensuring peace and security
and in bringing about greater development and prosperity
throughout the region. Malaysia and ASEAN would be happy to
share our experiences in regional cooperation with your
country.
Your Excellency,
9. My wife and I will take home with us as many pleasant
memories of our stay in your beautiful country on this
occasion as we did during our previous visit in 1987. May I,
once again, on behalf of my wife and my delegation take this
opportunity to express our sincere appreciation for
hospitality and warm reception accorded to us
Government and the people of Uzbekistan. Thank you.
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