Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	PARIS 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	23/01/84 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE BANQUET GIVEN IN HIS HONOUR BY 
			HIS EXCELLENCY MR. PIERRE MAUROY 
			PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC 
			OF FRANCE 




  I wish to thank Your Excellency, the Government and the people of the
Republic of France for the warm welcome and the generous hospitality that
has been extended to my wife and I, as well as to the members of my
delegation. We are indeed happy and honoured to be here in your lovely
country. I am particularly delighted to have this opportunity to meet
again and to renew my acquaintance with Your Excellency.

2. Just over one year ago I had the pleasure of welcoming you to Malaysia
on the occasion of your official visit to our country. Your visit has
contributed greatly towards strengthening the relations between our two
countries. Late last year I was in Paris and we had an opportunity to meet
and discuss a few matters. This time I am on an official visit together
with a number of my officials. More extensive discussions will be held
between us and also between the officials. These increasing number of
contacts between leaders and officials of our two countries will surely
promote greater understanding between our two peoples and help to overcome
and remove the barriers of language and culture.

3. To my mind, it is most appropriate that in the past one year our
cooperation has developed significantly in the field of education. Our two
sides are in the process of finalising the agreement for the programme
whereby Malaysian students will pursue their higher education in France. I
believe that the initiation of this programme will lay the foundation for
much closer relations between Malaysia and France in future.

4. At the same time while looking towards France and other developed
countries, both in the East and the West for their knowledge and
expertise, Malaysia desires to enter into genuine partnership with these
same countries in the field of economic development and trade. As a
growing nation, we offer opportunities for those who have the technical
know-how and the means to participate actively in our economic
development. We certainly welcome French interest in this field.

5. I am certain that you share my hope for the expansion of two-way trade
between our two countries. We should not fail to take advantage of the
growing cooperation between our two countries to allow the growth of such
an active two-way trade. In this, however, while we have reason to be
happy with the development of our bilateral relations in many fields, we
must address ourselves to the fact that the volume of trade between our
two countries have not been very encouraging. This is attributable in part
to the lingering recession, but at the same time we cannot ignore the
effect of tariff and non-tariff trade barriers. There is truth in the
argument that certain industries do require governmental assistance to
promote their growth, but the widespread usage of these measures to
protect too many sectors simply cannot have a positive effect on
international trade, and consequently on the recovery from this
recession. This problem is not confined to one or two or a few countries,
but to many groups of countries. I believe that it is a negative trend,
and one that cannot solve any economic problem with any permanence.

6. France, as an important member of the EEC, plays a major role in
European affairs and it is a strong proponent of European unity. It is
currently the President of the EEC Council, at a time when the Community
is addressing itself to many economic and political questions, in
intra-community affairs, as well as in matters between the Community and
other countries and groups of countries. The Community itself is about to
be enlarged with the admission of two new members, namely, Spain and
Portugal. I would like to extend to you my best wishes and to express my
confidence that under the Presidency of France, the Community will achieve
progress in its endeavours.

7. The last few years has witnessed the growth of economic cooperation and
trade between the EEC and ASEAN. Malaysia, and its partners in ASEAN,
value this cooperation between the two groups. We are confident that the
existing dialogue and regular meetings held between us will prove to be
mutually beneficial both to the members of the EEC and to the countries of
ASEAN. Even though this cooperation is not without its problems, in
particular certain restrictive measures on the part of the Community, it
nevertheless provides for meetings of minds between the two sides. Such
on-going dialogues provide the means for a mutually satisfactory solution.

8. The need for on-going dialogues to resolve problems and points of
disagreement is also applicable to the one problem that is causing great
concern to Europeans, as well as to the whole world, namely that of
security. I am referring to the suspension of the talks on arms reduction
between the two superpowers as a result of the stalemate over the question
of intermediate missiles in Europe. The world has been following the
progress of these negotiations with much more than just academic
interest. We in Malaysia share the concern that is felt by all countries
over the suspension of talks on arms reduction. The two superpowers and
the world cannot afford an escalation in nuclear rearmament. The
discussions must go on no matter how difficult. Malaysia is watching the
development with bated breath, for already there is sufficient nuclear
arms to destroy all living things on this planet.

9. In the Middle East, the question of Palestine, which is the core of the
Arab-Israeli conflict, remains unresolved. As a means to start the process
that would lead to the establishment of an independent state of Palestine,
Malaysia urges for the convening of the International Peace Conference on
West Asia, as called for by the Declaration and Programme of Action of the
Geneva International Conference on the Question of Palestine. We are
convinced that the Declaration and Programme of Action of the Geneva
Conference provides the basis for a just and comprehensive peace and would
lead to the establishment of an independent State of Palestine.

10. One of the consequences of the unresolved question of Palestine is the
on-going tragedy in Lebanon. Malaysia is aware that France plays a key
mediatory role in the crisis in Lebanon and in efforts to achieve a long
term solution to the Palestinian problem. In the pursuit of these efforts,
France has not so long ago suffered a tragedy when so many of her sons
were killed. I would like to express my condolences at your loss and
salute the bravery of those who lost their lives in Lebanon. We appeal to
all parties concerned to renew the efforts at bringing about national
reconciliation and peace to Lebanon.

11. Within our own region of Southeast Asia, we continue to face the
unresolved problem of Kampuchea. The Vietnamese military occupation of
Kampuchea prevents the establishment of a Zone of Peace, Freedom and
Neutrality, or ZOPFAN, in Southeast Asia, free from any form of foreign
interference that Malaysia and her partners in ASEAN has been striving
for. The unresolved problem of Kampuchea is the source of instability in
our region and it threatens all of us in the region with the unwanted
possibility of big power interference in our affairs. Malaysia, therefore,
looks to her friends for their continued support for the efforts to
resolve the Kampuchean issue peacefully and speedily in accordance with
the declaration of the International Conference on Kampuchea and other
relevant United Nations resolutions that have been endorsed by the
international community.

12. The question of Antarctica, the continent that is the last unsettled
frontier of mankind, has been gaining international interest. The recent
session of the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution
that the Secretary-General undertakes a comprehensive, factual and
objective study on all aspects of the question of Antarctica. Malaysia
firmly believes that Antarctica should remain the heritage of mankind,
that its future regime should promote international harmony and not
discord, cooperation and not conflict, and that the exploitation of its
resources should benefit mankind as a whole. We realise that France has a
different perception on the question of Antarctica, but we are confident
that the study undertaken by the United Nations Secretary General will
take into full account the positions of all the countries in the world.

13. Distinguished Guests, ladies and gentlemen, may I now ask you to join
me in a toast to the good health of His Excellency President Francois
Mitterrand, His Excellency Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy, to the Government
and the people of the Republic of France, and to the continuing close
friendship between Malaysia and the Republic of France.