Oleh/By : DATO SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : MOSCOW, RUSSIA FEDERATION
Tarikh/Date : 14-03-2002
Tajuk/Title : THE OFFICIAL LUNCH HOSTED BY H.E.
VLADIMIR VLADIMIROVISH PUTIN
PRESIDENT OF THE
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Versi : ENGLISH
Penyampai : PM
Let me first of all, thank you, Mr. President, for
your warm words of welcome and the kind tribute to the
government and people of Malaysia. I am indeed
honoured to be here, at this gracious occasion this
evening. This visit should have taken place in
September last year but the tragic events of September
11 made it necessary for me to postpone my visit. I
am truly glad that I have been able to undertake the
visit this time. On behalf of my wife and members of
my delegation, I would like to express my sincere
gratitude to you, Mr. President, and Madam Putin, your
Government and the People of Russia, for the warm
hospitality and excellent arrangements extended to us
since our arrival in your beautiful country.
2. I recall with fond memories my first official
visit to Russia in 1986. During the APEC meeting in
Shanghai in November last year, we had the opportunity
to meet and discuss a wide range of issues of common
interest.
3. My visit here today is to reaffirm Malaysia's
commitment to this spirit of friendship and
cooperation. We have had frank and fruitful
discussions that will chart the future course of our
relations and bring it to new heights. We should take
the opportunity to explore new areas of cooperation to
further enhance our relations on a broad-based, multi-
faceted and mutually advantageous basis.
4. Malaysia follows with interest Russia's
achievements in the field of science and technology,
heavy engineering and scientific research and
development. I believe there is tremendous potential
for cooperation, especially in the fields of
information and computer technology, aerospace
industry and trade and investment. With Malaysia's
experience in the market economy and established
infrastructure in the commercial and industrial
sector, and Russia's wealth of scientific and
technological resources, I believe there is scope for
creating smart partnerships. New areas of
cooperation, could include education, culture and
tourism. We should try and keep our relationship
multifaceted so that we can maximise the advantages to
our mutual benefit.
5. I am happy to note the positive trend in trade
and economic cooperation between our two countries
during the last few years. At the same time, I
believe much more needs to be done if we are to
realise the full potential of our trade. Currently,
bilateral trade between our two countries stands at
approximately USD 300 million a year and it has always
been in Russia's favour. This amount, you will agree,
is very small given the size of the Russian market
potential.
6. The private sector of both our countries must be
encouraged to explore a whole new range of products
and establish mutually profitable linkages. Our
chambers of commerce should play a more active role to
promote and assist our exporters and importers in
identifying and sourcing for these products. It would
be mutually beneficial if our exporters and importers
could explore ways to engage in direct trading rather
than buying and selling their products through third
countries. As business relations grow, our private
sectors should also prepare themselves towards forming
strategic alliances with a view to maximising each
other's comparative advantage.
7. Our private sectors should look beyond their
borders, to the economically dynamic and vibrant
region of East Asia and Central Asia. Malaysia has
envisaged plans to extend its economic reach to the
East and Central Asian region through railway
connections with China. This will pave the way for
greater inter-changeability of goods and technology
amongst countries in the region, with Russia being an
integral part of it. The prospects appear to be even
better with the eventual creation of an eastern
corridor that will link Southeast Asia with East Asia.
The ensuing economic growth will in turn bring about a
more stable and peaceful international security
environment in the region.
8. We would like to express our appreciation to
Russia, as a full dialogue partner of ASEAN, for its
dynamic role in the ASEAN Regional Forum, Post
Ministerial Conference and the ASEAN-Russia Joint
Cooperation Committee. These meetings offer
opportunities for Russia and ASEAN, at ministerial and
official level, to review contemporary political,
security, economic and development cooperation issues
affecting the two sides.
9. At the international level, Malaysia and Russia
share many similar views. Malaysia values Russia's
role in promoting international peace and stability.
Today the threat to international peace and stability
comes from terrorism. Malaysia has been consistent in
its policy of opposing all forms of terrorism. Such
acts of terror must be condemned. But we feel
strongly that terrorism should not be identified with
any particular group of people or religion. That is
why Malaysia is of the opinion that an international
conference to discuss all aspects of terrorism is
vitally necessary. Such a conference would enable us
to define terrorism so that all such acts can be
immediately recognised and condemned.
10. With that Mr. President, I would like once again
to reiterate my sincere gratitude for the warm
reception and hospitality extended to my wife and I,
and to members of my delegation. I do hope Mr.
President that you would allow me to reciprocate your
kindness when you visit Malaysia in the near future.
Sumber : Pejabat Perdana Menteri
|
|