Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : IN ANKARA, TURKEY
Tarikh/Date : 27/10/94
Tajuk/Title : THE DINNER HOSTED BY THE PRIME
MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
HER EXCELLENCY DR. TANSU CILLER
May I take this opportunity to express my sincere
appreciation to Your Excellency and to the Government of
Turkey for the very warm welcome extended to me and members
of my delegation since our arrival in your beautiful
country. My wife and I are indeed delighted to have this
opportunity to return to Turkey on another official visit.
We recall with fond memories our last official visit to your
country eleven years ago.
2. I have been looking forward to this visit to acquaint
myself with you, Madame Prime Minister and your efforts at
nation building and economic development. This visit will
provide me with the opportunity to exchange views with you
on subjects of mutual interest to both our countries.
3. Malaysia and Turkey have enjoyed good and cordial
relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
There have been several exchanges of visits at high levels
in recent years and these visits laid the foundation for
greater collaboration between our two countries. I am happy
to note that cooperation between our two countries in
several areas are expanding. We have over the years gone a
long way in increasing our awareness of each other and of
what each can offer. To Malaysians, Turkey while rich in
its heritage of the Islamic grandeur of the past, is
recognised as a very modern and dynamic nation peopled
largely by Muslims. I am sure that if we examine closely
there will be many areas ripe for cooperation for mutual
benefit.
4. However, despite our keen desire to promote trade and
economic cooperation, our potentials have not been fully
exploited. The trade figures between the two countries
indicate that it is still small. We need to inject more
substance to our collaboration so as to tap the full
potentials of trade and economic opportunities available in
each other's countries. I firmly believe that the private
sectors should be encouraged to take the lead and act as a
catalyst in fostering direct economic and trade linkages
between our two countries. It is for this reason that I
have included in my delegation prominent Malaysian
businessmen to enable them to look around and identify
business opportunities. I hope this visit will give them
the opportunity to learn more about your country and to
establish contacts with their counterparts here. I am
confident that with our mutual commitment towards
strengthening of bilateral cooperation, a greater flow of
trade, investment and tourism between our two countries
could be further facilitated.
5. Turkey has an unique position, being situated at the
cross roads between Europe, the Middle East and Central
Asia. I would like to encourage the Malaysian private
sector to take advantage of this fact as Turkey can act as a
gateway to the vast markets of the European Union, the
Middle East and the Central Asian States. We have also
learnt about your success in seeking opportunities in the
Central Asian Republics. Malaysia is keen to explore the
possibilities of collaboration with Turkey in that region.
6. The end of the Cold War has unfortunately not made this
world a better and safer world. Many people and nations who
have heard about the greatness of democracy and the free
market have rushed to adopt these systems. But for many,
the results have been disastrous. In Bosnia-Herzegovina the
lure of independence and democracy has resulted in hundreds
of thousands being massacred and millions being forced to
leave their homeland. The great protagonists of democracy
in the West merely look on while their converts are
massacred and raped. It is a mistake to think that we can
depend on others for our safety. All the talk about human
rights, workers' rights, and the freedoms of democracy are
merely to justify interventions when their interests are at
stake. In the light of this reality, perhaps it is
worthwhile for our two countries to continuously consult one
another regarding policies and strategies in a unipolar
world.
7. Malaysia and Turkey share many common ideals and
principles. I hope that my visit will contribute towards
better understanding of each other and towards stronger
cooperation, both bilaterally and in international affairs.
8. We note with admiration the vast strides that Turkey
has made in the transformation of its economy. The
pragmatic approaches taken by the Turkish Government and the
liberalisation programmes have made a positive impact on the
country's development. Like Turkey, Malaysia too is a
nation in transformation. The economic growth in Malaysia
during the last five years has averaged more than eight
percent. Priority is now accorded to high-tech
manufacturing in consonant with Malaysia's desire to become
a fully industrialised country by the year 2020. Science
and technology have a major role to play in promoting
economic development. Malaysia has taken steps not only to
be a consumer of technology but also a contributor to new
technologies and scientific discoveries. I am sure Your
Excellency will share with me that in our march towards
industrialisation, there will be many areas we can learn
from each other through the sharing of experiences, pooling
of expertise and exchange of complementary technical
capabilities. The imperatives for such exchanges and
cooperation are made more relevant as we are two
industrialising and largely Muslim states.
9. We appreciate the active role played by your country in
promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
10. My wife and I will take home with us many pleasant
memories of our stay in your beautiful country on this
occasion as we did on our previous visits. May I, once
again, on behalf of my wife and my delegation, take this
opportunity to express our sincere appreciation for the
hospitality and warm reception accorded to us by the
government and the people of Turkey.
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