Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR.
MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : SRI PERDANA, KUALA LUMPUR
Tarikh/Date : 10/08/98
Tajuk/Title : THE OFFICIAL DINNER IN HONOUR
OF HIS EXCELLENCY SISAVATH
KEOBOUNPHANH THE PRIME MINISTER
OF LAO PEOPLE
It gives me great pleasure to welcome Your
Excellency and Madam Khamla, and members of your
delegation to Malaysia. I am delighted to see Your
Excellency in Kuala Lumpur today on your first official
visit to Malaysia as Prime Minister of the Lao People's
Democratic Republic. Your visit also represents the
first instance of an official visit by a Lao Head of
Government since your country joined ASEAN last year.
Your acceptance of my invitation to visit this country is
a clear testimony of the mutual desire of our two
Governments to further strengthen relations between the
two countries. I look forward to having fruitful
discussions and exchange of views on various bilateral,
regional and international issues of common concern at
our meeting tomorrow morning. I am confident that we
shall be able to identify new areas where our two
countries can co-operate to enhance the relationship in
the years ahead.
2. Since my last visit to your beautiful country in
1994, our bilateral relations have continued to deepen
and develop positively through the exchanges of visits
between leaders and Government officials at all levels. I
recall that during my visit, a number of business deals
were successfully concluded between the Malaysian private
sector with their Lao counterparts in such fields as
consultancy services, low-cost housing, agriculture, road
construction, manufacturing and tourism.
3. Your Excellency's visit to Malaysia marks another
milestone in our bilateral relations and provides yet
another opportunity for us to renew our friendship and
solidarity for mutual benefit. Now that the Lao People's
Democratic Republic is a fellow member of ASEAN, I am
confident that the coming years would see our relations
becoming more substantive especially in trade and
economic co-operation.
4. Our deepening bilateral relations is evidenced by
the fact that our two countries have to-date already
signed a number of agreements namely the Bilateral
Investment Guarantee Agreement, the Air Services
Agreement, the Economic, Scientific and Technical Co-
operation Agreement, the Bilateral Payments Arrangement
and an MOU on Energy Co-operation. It is my hope that
the bilateral Trade Agreement and the Tourism Co-
operation Agreement that will be signed between our two
countries tomorrow morning will provide additional
impetus to uplift our bilateral economic and trade
relations. I would like to assure Your Excellency that
the Malaysian Government would continue to take steps to
nurture the relation between our countries.
5. While noting that our bilateral relationship is on
the right course, our total trade today is really nothing
to speak of. Notwithstanding this, I am convinced that
there is ample scope for expansion given the enormous
potentials and items available for trading purposes in
both countries. I am happy that the Malaysian private
sector has been actively participating in the economic
development taking place in the Lao People's Democratic
Republic today. I have been informed that Malaysia is
the fifth largest investor in the Lao People's Democratic
Republic with investments valued at over RM1 billion in
18 projects. Malaysia's investments are mainly
concentrated in road building and construction sector,
banking, and service industries. The Malaysian private
sector has over the years gained considerable expertise
in overseas investment projects. In the spirit of ASEAN
and South-South Co-operation, Malaysia is ever willing to
share our development experience and technical know-how
to assist the Lao People's Democratic Republic in its
nation-building efforts.
6. In the regional context, Malaysia is pleased to
observe that since your admission into ASEAN, the Lao
People's Democratic Republic has participated
enthusiastically in ASEAN activities and made
constructive proposals for enhanced intra-ASEAN co-
operation. Unfortunately however, our region is
presently besieged by the regional economic crisis that
has affected all ASEAN countries, though in varying
degrees. Malaysia's view is that in order to overcome
the present difficulties, ASEAN countries must work
together even more vigorously to enhance intra-ASEAN
trade and promote the use of local currencies in regional
trade.
7. On international matters, both Malaysia and the Lao
People's Democratic Republic share almost identical views
on many international issues of common concern. Our
countries have sought to make constructive contributions
through our active participation in many international
organisations including the United Nations and the Non-
Aligned Movement. I am also impressed with the role
played by the Lao People's Democratic Republic in
fostering the climate of peace and development co-
operation in the Mekong sub-region to transform this area
into one of shared growth and affluence aimed at
eradicating poverty and elevating the quality of life.
8. May I once again wish you, Mr. Prime Minister and
Madam Khamla, and other distinguished members of your
delegation, a very warm welcome to Malaysia and I hope
that your visit here will be an enjoyable and memorable
one.
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