Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	SRI PERDANA, KUALA LUMPUR 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	06/07/95 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	DINNER IN H0NOUR OF THE HONOURABLE 
			MOHTARMA BENAZIR 



  It  gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the Government
  of  Malaysia, to extend a hearty welcome to  you,  Madam
  Prime  Minister,  and Mr. Zardari and  members  of  your
  delegation   on   this  visit  to   Malaysia.   We   are
  particularly  honoured to receive you  as  the  Head  of
  Government   of  a  country  with  whom   Malaysia   has
  traditionally  had very warm and friendly relations.  We
  recall  vividly  your  last visit  to  this  country  to
  attend  the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting  in
  1989.  Today  we  have the honour of  hosting  you  once
  again.  I  am confident that this visit will  contribute
  towards  further enhancing the bonds of  friendship  and
  cooperation between Malaysia and Pakistan.
   2.  We  in  Malaysia  follow with  great  interest  your
  efforts  to  strengthen  the  democratic  processes  and
  institutions  in  Pakistan as well  as  to  bring  about
  better  socio-economic conditions for  your  people.  We
  welcome the various measures that you have initiated  to
  stimulate  economic growth, including the  promotion  of
  foreign   investments  and  participation  in  Pakistan.
  These  measures  will,  I am sure,  not  only  speed  up
  economic  development  in  Pakistan  but  also   provide
  opportunities   for   greater   economic   collaboration
  between  our two countries. I therefore look forward  to
  our  discussion tomorrow on issues of common concern  as
  well  as  the possible areas of cooperation.  Given  the
  present  trend  towards  globalisation,  countries  must
  constantly seek new partnerships and linkages to  remain
  competitive.   With  our  commitment  to   enhance   our
  cooperation,  I  am  confident that  we  could  together
  identify  new  opportunities where we could  effectively
   collaborate,   making  full  use  of   the   comparative
  advantages available in both our countries.
  3.  In our efforts to enhance closer economic relations,
  the  role  of  the  private  sector  is  crucial.  I  am
  delighted   that,   coinciding  with   your   visit,   a
  delegation  of  important business leaders  and  private
  sector  representatives  have come  to  Malaysia  for  a
  business   seminar   designed  to  promote   trade   and
  investment tie-ups with their Malaysian counterparts.  I
  welcome them to Malaysia and wish them success in  their
  discussion  and possible ventures. With their resources,
  talents  and  skills,  I am sure  that  the  partnership
  between  Malaysian  and Pakistani  private  sectors  can
  make  a  great impact not only in Malaysia and Pakistan,
  but  also  in  some third countries. Immediately,  I  am
  thinking of the Central Asian Republics with which  both
  our  countries  are  keen  to  develop  closer  economic
  relations.  It is for this reason that Malaysia  follows
   with  a  keen  interest Pakistan's efforts  to  open  up
  overland routes to these states.
  4.  While  the  economic  imperatives  should  be  given
  greater  emphasis in the relations between Malaysia  and
  Pakistan,  the  traditional factors that  bind  our  two
  countries  should also be strengthened. In this  regard,
  efforts  should be made to step up cooperation  in  such
  fields  as  education,  culture,  sports,  religion  and
  science  and technology. Already many Malaysian students
  have gone to Pakistan in search of higher education  and
  several   Pakistanis  have  participated  in  Malaysia's
  Technical  Cooperation Programme. Malaysia is  ready  to
  do  more  to  facilitate these and other exchanges  that
  promote  greater  understanding and cooperation  between
  the  two  countries.  Our common  belief  in  Islam  and
  commitment  to the betterment of the Islamic Ummah  have
  brought  us  together  along  the  path  of  cooperation
  within the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).  We
   are equally ready to intensify such cooperation.
  5.  We  live in a world that is still full of  surprises
  and  uncertainties. The euphoric predictions  of  a  few
  years  ago that peace would descend upon the world  with
  the  end  of  the  Cold  War  have  been  proven  wrong.
  Conflict,  strife and turmoil continue  to  engulf  many
  parts  of  the world. While there is a glimmer  of  hope
  for  the  dawn of peace in some parts, the  darkness  of
  war  and  oppression remains poised  over  other  parts.
  Such  is the case in Bosnia-Herzegovina, a country whose
  sovereignty and territorial integrity has been  trampled
  upon  with  impunity by the Serbs. Its cry  for  justice
  has  been  cynically ignored by those who brag of  their
  commitment and concern for justice, democracy and  human
  rights.  The  champions  of human  rights  are  suddenly
  blind  to  the  worst  case of human  rights  violations
  since  the  end of World War II. The United Nations  has
  not  only  been  ineffective  in  handling  the  Bosnian
   conflict but has also been thoroughly humiliated by  the
  Serbs.  It is a measure of our commitment to the Charter
  of   the  United  Nations  and  to  the  principles   of
  International Law that Malaysia and Pakistan  have  sent
  troops  to  serve  under UNPROFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
  We  have  earlier also participated in peace-keeping  in
  Somalia  where our troops forged excellent  cooperation.
  I   am  confident  that  our  common  concern  for   the
  preservation of international peace, stability and  rule
  of  law  will  see  our two countries joining  hands  in
  other international peace efforts in the future.