Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	SRI PERDANA, KUALA LUMPUR 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	01/08/97 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE OFFICIAL DINNER IN HONOUR OF 
			THE HON. MIAN MOHAMMAD NAWAZ SHARIF 
			PRIME MINISTER OF THE ISLAMIC 
			REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN 



   1.    It  is  a  great pleasure for me to  wish  you  and
  members  of  your delegation a warm welcome  or  "SELAMAT
  DATANG'  to  Malaysia.  May I also take this opportunity,
  on  behalf  of the people and Government of Malaysia,  to
  congratulate  the Government and people  of  Pakistan  as
  you  commemorate this year, the 50th Anniversary of  your
  independence.
  
  2.    Pakistan is a country that we hold dear to us as  a
  brother  Islamic country and we welcome you as  a  friend
  and  brother  with  the hope and expectation  that  Allah
  will  bless our good relations and the well-being of  our
  peoples.
  
  3.    I  recall my recent short visit to Pakistan when  I
  had  the  opportunity  of having a fruitful  meeting  and
  discussions  with  you  on matters  of  mutual  interest.
  This  morning we were able to resume our discussions  and
  explore  the  possibilities for further collaboration  in
  the  future,  especially in expanding the  scope  of  our
  economic cooperation.
  
  4.    I  am happy to note that relations between our  two
  countries  are  progressing well, particularly  with  the
  increase  in  the  exchange  of  visits  by  high   level
  officials  and the private sectors.  This is  a  positive
  demonstration  of  our serious efforts  at  collaboration
  and cooperation for the mutual benefits of our people.  I
  am  confident that this encouraging trend will enable the
  two  sides to share each other's expertise and experience
  in national development.
  
  5.    Bilateral trade between our two countries stood  at
  US$698  million (RM1.74 billion) in 1996,  out  of  which
  Malaysia   exported  US$649  million  (RM1.62   billion).
  Although the trade imbalance has widened over the  years,
  I  strongly  believe  we can narrow  the  gap.   In  this
  regard,  I  welcome your business delegation to  Malaysia
  and  wish  them success in their meetings and discussions
  with    their   Malaysian   counterparts.    With   their
  experience  and  expertise,  I  am  confident  that   the
  partnership  between  our private sectors  would  produce
  mutually beneficial results.  We could also cooperate  to
  seek  opportunities  in Third Countries,  especially  the
  newly-independent  Central Asian Republics  where  market
  potential   exist.   The  time  has  come   for   us   to
  demonstrate  to  the  world that  the  Muslim  Ummah  can
  cooperate  for  its betterment and for the  good  of  the
  world at large.
  
  6.     I  am  glad  to  note  that  your  government  has
  introduced  a  comprehensive  reform  package  aimed   at
  creating    an    efficient    and    effective    public
  administration  machinery that could face the  challenges
  in  the  21st  Century.  Your efforts  at  privatisation,
  civil service reform, agricultural reform, providing  new
  incentives   to   attract  foreign  investments,   macro-
  economic  stabilisation  and liberalisation  package  and
  financial  reform will no doubt bring great  benefits  to
  your  country.  These new policies, hopefully  will  open
  up  more opportunities to Malaysian businessmen/investors
  to  participate in development projects of your  country,
  especially  in  sectors such as housing,  infrastructure,
  construction, aviation, banking and finance,  energy  and
  power  and  human  resource development.   The  Malaysian
  private  sector,  with its experience in Africa,  Europe,
  Latin  America, South East Asia and other  parts  of  the
  world,  could  join  hands with their  counterparts  from
  Pakistan  and  make  a  significant contribution  towards
  further  enhancing  Malaysia - Pakistan  relations.   The
  relocation of labour intensive industries to Pakistan  on
  a  joint-venture  basis  could  also  contribute  towards
  reducing  our  trade imbalance while creating  employment
  opportunities in Pakistan itself.
  
  7.    At  the  level  of governmental cooperation,  I  am
  happy  to  note  that the first Ministerial  Level  Joint
  Commission  Meeting  had just concluded.   I  would  urge
  both  sides to take action to implement the decisions  of
  the meeting.
  
  8.     Peace  and  stability  are  pre-requisites  to   a
  region's  economic and social progress.  In this  regard,
  I  am  happy to note that Pakistan and India concluded  a
  second  round of talks recently in Islamabad to  chart  a
  friendly   and   harmonious  relationship   between   two
  neighbouring countries.  I sincerely hope that the  talks
  would  provide a positive avenue in the pursuit of  peace
  and  stability  in  the sub-continent  over  the  Kashmir
  issue.  If I may say so, in a dispute like this, no  side
  can  expect to get everything that it demands or believes
  it  has  a  right to, if there is to be any  solution  at
  all.
  
  9.     With  regard  to  Afghanistan,  Malaysia  strongly
  believe  that durable peace and stability could  only  be
  achieved  by  the  formation of a broad-based  government
  comprising  all major warring factions and ethnic  groups
  in  the  country.  Malaysia support any effort  to  bring
  the  warring  factions together in  a  political  compact
  that  would  enable a sustained and lasting peace  to  be
  achieved  in  Afghanistan.  Again,  maximum  demands  can
  never be met if there is to be any settlement.
  
  10.    Your   visit  marks  an  important  milestone   in
  enhancing   the  existing  close  cordial  and  brotherly
  relations  between  Malaysia and Pakistan.   I  sincerely
  hope  that  your visit would be a success  and  that  you
  would have pleasant memories of your stay in Malaysia.