Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	SRI PERDANA, KUALA LUMPUR 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	15/02/84 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE OFFICIAL DINNER IN HONOUR OF 
			PRIME MINISTER OF THAILAND, H. E. 
			GEN. TAN SRI PREM TINSULANONDA 




 Your Excellency General Tan Sri Prem; Excellencies; Distinguished
Guests; Ladies and Gentlemen.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome Your Excellency and members of your
delegation to Malaysia. I am particularly happy to receive Your
Excellency, as it affords me the opportunity to reciprocate the warm and
generous hospitality accorded to me and my delegation on our two visits to
Thailand.

2. Your Excellency, your visit affords us an opportunity to continue our
discussions and to exchange views on matters of interest to both our
countries. Your visit also signifies the importance that we in ASEAN place
on regular consultations at all levels. This tradition can only enhance
our understanding of one another and can only contribute towards
strengthening our bonds of friendship.

3. Indeed, Malaysia and Thailand, as neighbours, have a long tradition of
working together. We are brought together by the many shared perceptions
and aspirations. Our desire is for our peoples to continue living in an
environment of peace and stability so that we can get on with the task of
national development for the welfare of our peoples. We are joined in
these common aspirations by our friends in ASEAN. Indeed, ASEAN is a
testimony to our belief that the road to stability and prosperity is
through cooperation and negotiation in a spirit of give and take. It was
the common desire to see a region free from turmoil and conflict that we
conceived ASEAN.

4. Consistent with our conviction for a peaceful and stable Southeast
Asia, ASEAN steadfastly pursued the Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality,
or ZOPFAN, for this region. We are convinced that through ZOPFAN we can
eliminate outside interference and ensure regional stability.

5. We in ASEAN believe that the continued occupation of Kampuchea by
Vietnamese forces constitutes a threat to the peace and stability of the
whole region, as the situation encourages outside interference. We are
mindful of Thailand's particular concern in view of the direct threat
posed to Thailand by the Vietnamese occupation of Kampuchea. Malaysia and
ASEAN will work closely with Thailand in cooperation with all peace loving
countries to secure a political solution, and ensure the withdrawal of
Vietnamese forces and the restoration of Kampuchean sovereignty and
independence so that the Kampuchean people will be able to exercise their
rights. For this reason, ASEAN supports wholeheartedly the formation of
the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea, CGDK, under the
leadership of His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Sihanouk, as it represents
a positive development in the effort to find a political solution to the
Kampuchean problem. ASEAN's efforts towards this end continue to receive
the support of the international community.

6. Mr. Prime Minister, the wide ranging areas of cooperation between our
two countries examplifies the priority that we give to our relations with
one another. Malaysia-Thai cooperation covers a myriad of matters; indeed
cooperation has become institutionalised in our relations. Under the
security framework of the General Border Committee, we have cooperated
closely on eliminating the communist terrorists operating in our joint
border area. Through our joint efforts we have eliminated a large number
of the communist terrorists and have frustrated their movements, and until
their final elimination, we must persevere in our effort and intensify our
cooperation.

7. Malaysia-Thai cooperation on socio-economic development also forms an
important aspect of the GBC because of its direct relevance to
security. Towards this end we have also jointly embarked on many projects
in our endeavours for the social and economic upliftment of our peoples in
the common border area.

8. The tradition of working together and our confidence in one another
have also enabled us to even resolve conflicting maritime claims in a most
novel way by agreeing to jointly exploit and share the resources of the
area. By our example we have shown how problems between nations can be
resolved through cooperation and mutual respect.

9. Mr. Prime Minister, in reviewing the depth and extent of our bilateral
cooperation, I would like to make special mention of our joint efforts in
the area of agriculture. This is a sector of equal importance to us as the
majority of our peoples depend on the land for their livelihood,
particularly so for those living in the proximity of our common border. It
is therefore imperative that we continue to give emphasis to cooperation
in this field. In this respect I note with deep satisfaction our agreement
to jointly develop the Golok River Basin, and the possible channelling of
water from south Thailand to the northern padi lands of Malaysia.

10. Thailand is an acknowledged leader in agriculture, and the
advancements made in agricultural technology in Thailand have even enabled
grapes to be grown in the tropics. I am sure we can learn a lot from
Thailand.

11. It is my fervent belief, Mr. Prime Minister, that the reservoir of
goodwill and the close cooperation which has characterised our relations
will continue to grow.

12. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, may I invite you now to
join me in a toast to the good health of His Excellency Prime Minister
Prem, the Government and the people of Thailand.