Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	MOSCOW 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	30/07/87 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE STATE BANQUET HOSTED BY HIS 
			EXCELLENCY MR. V.S. MURAKHOVSKY THE 
			ACTING PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNCON 
			OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS 




 His Excellency Mr. Nikolai Ryzhkov;
Madame Ryzhkov;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
    I  am  happy  to  be in Moscow the capital city of this
great country, Russia -- a city that I  have  read  so  much
about  but  have never been to.  May I take this opportunity
to express my gratitude to the Government of  the  Union  of
Soviet  Socialist  Republics  for the excellent arrangements
and generous hospitality accorded to me and my delegation.
2.   The program that has been drawn up will enable  me  and
my  delegation  to  see  different parts of your country and
enable us  to  meet your people of various nationalities. It
will no doubt give us a  better  perspective  and  a  deeper
understanding of your country and your people.
Mr. Prime Minister,
3.    I  am  happy  to  note  that  the  process of domestic
reconstruction  has been complemented with new and  vigorous
foreign policies, especially in  the  search  for  peace and
finding new solutions in ending regional conflicts.
4.   As a non-nuclear nation, firmly committed to peace  and
disarmament,  Malaysia  welcomes your initiatives on nuclear
disarmament.  We agree with you that  the  world  must  deal
with  the threat posed by nuclear confrontation and that new
thinking and political courage are required to end the  arms
race.    It is our hope that the Geneva talks will bear some
fruit  soon  for  the  sake of mankind.  Many other pressing
issues could be easily resolved if the threat of nuclear war
is  lifted and goodwill prevails among nations of the world.
Just think of the enormous resources that it will  free  for
the constructive development of nations and mankind.
5.   Our discussions have revealed that the Soviet Union and
Malaysia share many common perceptions on global issues.  We
share  your  concerns on disarmament and the need to enhance
global security.  Both our countries are supportive  of  the
role  of the United Nations and its associated agencies.  We
both implacably support the struggle  in  South  Africa  for
human dignity and freedom. Our views on the situation in the
Middle East coincide.   As  a  non-aligned  nation  Malaysia
welcomes  Soviet understanding  of  the  aspirations  of the
Non-Aligned Movement.
6.   Malaysia   recognises  that  the  Soviet  Union  is  an
integral  part  of Asia  and the Pacific. In this context we
welcome  the  important  statement on Asian-Pacific security
made by General  Secretary  Gorbachev  in  Vladivostok  last
year.  The statement was a timely reminder that  the  Soviet
Union gave due prominence to  its  place  and  role  in  the
Asia-Pacific community.  We are encouraged to hear that  the
Soviet  Union  is prepared to work with the United States to
terminate the arms race, to improve   relations  with  China
and  Japan,  to  withdraw its troops from the territories of
other countries and to enhance its relations with the  other
nations in the region, including Malaysia.
Mr. Prime Minister,
7.   Malaysia  and  the other  members  of  ASEAN  are  very
concerned with  the  prospects  for  peace,  stability,  and
regional  cooperation in the Asia-Pacific  region.  We  are,
however,  keenly  aware that the complexity and diversity of
the  countries that make  up the  Pacific   Basin   defy  an
institutionalised approach to these issues.  We believe that
efforts  should initially be concentrated on the defusion of
regional tensions caused by conflict  situations  that  have
led  to the escalation of great power rivalry which polarise
and divide the region.
8.   Our immediate concern are the  conflict  situations  in
Afghanistan and Kampuchea the resolution of which are a sine
qua  non  if  an  atmosphere  conducive  to  peace  is to be
created.
9.   Mr.  Gorbachev  has  called  Afghanistan  "a   bleeding
wound".   To us Kampuchea  has become a festering sore which
seriously infects the health of our region.   If the  ideals
of  Vladivostok  and  Delhi  are  to  be substantiated these
conflicts must be settled as soon as possible.
10.  As a member of the Organisation of Islamic  Conference,
Malaysia   is   deeply   concerned  with  the  situation  in
Afghanistan.   We can never  accept  what  has  happened  in
Afghanistan,  an independent and sovereign nation, as a fait
accompli.  We welcome the Soviet Union's  stated  policy  of
withdrawal  and we look forward to an early agreement at the
Geneva Talks on this subject. We believe that the  principle
of  self-determination  must  be  applied  in   Afghanistan.
Although  we  are  a  small  developing  country,  we  will,
nevertheless,  make  our  stand  clear against any instances
when fundamental principles of relations between nations are
ignored and violated.
11.  Kampuchea  is at the forefront of our concerns.  At the
end of the Second Indochina War, Malaysia  and  other  ASEAN
nations   were  among  the  first  to  offer  friendship and
assistance to Vietnam, Laos and Kampuchea. We were motivated
by
ASEAN's doctrine of regional cooperation and  our  objective
was  to substantiate the ASEAN proposal for a Zone of Peace,
Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) in Southeast Asia which  can
only   be   achieved   by   the  effective  cooperation  and
inter-action  of  its  component  nations  based  on  mutual
understanding and confidence. The ZOPFAN concept presupposes
a policy of equidistance between the regional states and the
great powers which will allow the former  to  control  their
own  destinies  and  assume  responsibility  for  their  own
security.
12.  Reference  is  often  made  to  the  realities  of  the
situation in Kampuchea.  The fundamental reality is that the
occupation of Kampuchea  by  a foreign power has breached an
important principle of international relations,  creating  a
dangerous  precedent.  The   ASEAN   countries   have   made
reasonable proposals for the resolution of the issue.  These
proposals  have  the support of the overwhelming majority of
the international community.
Mr. Prime Minister,
13.  ASEAN has proposed the withdrawal of foreign forces and
their replacement by an international peace-keeping force to
ensure that no party can dominate Kampuchea in  the  interim
before  internationally-supervised  elections are held for a
government of a neutral non-aligned Kampuchea.   This  would
allow  the  long-suffering  Kampuchean  people  to determine
their own future.  The interests of all external powers will
also be safeguarded by this process.
14.  ASEAN has worked hard to keep a dialogue open with  all
interested   parties   so   that  such  a  solution  may  be
negotiated.  We believe that the Soviet Union's role in this
process is critical.   Your  leaders  have  already  met and
discussed  the  issue  with some ASEAN leaders.   I feel our
talks have further enhanced these consultations.  The  ASEAN
Summit  in Manila  at  the  end  of the year will provide an
opportunity for my colleagues and I to review the results of
our consultations with you and other interested parties.
15.  Resolution  of the above outstanding conflicts followed
by demilitarisation of the  region  and  other  "confidence-
building  measures"  will  certainly allow the states of the
Asia-Pacific region to come together in a cooperative effort
to exploit its enormous potentials  for  the  well-being  of
their  peoples.   Without progress  on  the  issues  I  have
mentioned,  the  region will remain divided and  potentially
unstable.
16.  This  year  marks  the  twentieth  anniversary  of  the
establishment  of  diplomatic  relations   between  our  two
countries.  During  this  period  a   great  deal  has  been
achieved. A major purpose of my visit here is to consolidate
our links and to discuss our future cooperation.   Tomorrow,
two  new  agreements  on  maritime  arrangements  and double
taxati on will  be signed providing  further incentives  for
cooperation.   Government-to-government   arrangements  can,
however, only secure the foundations of cooperation. We have
an open  free-market  economy  and  your  organisations must
develop effective business links with  our  private  sector.
You may  be assured that my Government will be supportive of
this process.
17.  In the short time we have been here we  have  seen  the
beautiful  cities  of  Leningrad  and Moscow and visited the
fascinating Uzbekistan Republic.  We have  learnt  something
about your leadership's efforts for a better society in this
country.    We  have seen for ourselves some of its results.
It has been, altogether, an unforgettable  experience  which
we shall cherish when we leave the Soviet Union.
Mr. Prime Minister,
18.  On  behalf of my wife and the Malaysian delegation, may
I  thank  you  and  the  Soviet Government for the very warm
welcome  and  generous  hospitality that we have experienced
during our stay here.
     Thank you.