Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	WASHINGTON, USA 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	18/01/84 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	A DINNER HOSTED BY 
			VICE-PRESIDENT BUSH 




  Let me first of all express on behalf of my wife and members of my
delegation, as well as on my own, our sincere thanks for the delightful
dinner that you, Mr. Vice-President and Mrs. Bush, have so graciously
laid-out for us. I would also like to express my appreciation for your
kind words and generosity.

2. As you are no doubt aware, Mr. Vice-President, from your personal
contacts and dealings with us that one of the happy features of the
friendly relationship which exists between our two countries is that they
are not based on any formal alliance or commitments. Rather, they are
based on the even surer foundation of shared values and interests. In
terms of physical geography, Kuala Lumpur is a long way from Washington
but I believe that our shared commitments to democratic government and its
values, to the free enterprise system and its opportunities, and to the
spiritually secure, humane and just society, transcend the gap of physical
distance and bring us much closer than perhaps we often realise.

3. Though we both have illusions about the world, we also have a shared
interest in peaceful and cooperative relations among nations, irrespective
of their social philosophy or political persuasion. Also, if I may say so,
we have no expectation of each other, and we make no demands on each
other, beyond these shared interests and values and, as a result, our
relations over the years have been generally positive and sound.

4. This is not to deny that there have been occasional differences in the
way we have looked at certain issues, or that there have been occasional
issues and even irritants in our bilateral relations. But I have no doubt
that the positive aspects of our relationship and our shared interests and
values far outweigh these occasional differences.

5. These positive aspects include the frequent and close consultations on
many issues of interests to us both. In the fields of investment and
trade, the United States continues to be a significant economic partner
for us, and most recently in the field of education, there has been a
dramatic increase in the number of our students in this country which, I
am convinced, will have long-term benefits, for Malaysia and for the
cooperative relations between our two countries.

6. Once again, I thank you, Mr. Vice-President and Mrs. Bush, for the
courtesy and hospitality you have shown me, my wife and members of my
delegation.

7. May I now have the pleasure of inviting you all to join me in a toast
to Vice-President and Mrs. Bush and to the well-being of the people of the
United States.