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