Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	CONAKRY, REPUBLIC OF GUINEA  
Tarikh/Date 	: 	06/11/96 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE STATE BANQUET HOSTED BY H.E. 
			GENERAL LANSANA CONTE, PRESIDENT 
			OF THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA  



1.    I would like to take this opportunity to thank you,  Mr.
President and the Government of the Republic of Guinea for the
kind  invitation  for me to visit this beautiful  country.   I
would  also  like  to express my gratitude  for  the  gracious
hospitality  and elaborate arrangements made  for  me  and  my
delegation.

2.    I recall with pleasure the visit Your Excellency made to
Kuala Lumpur about two years ago which laid the foundation for
our  two  countries to come closer together.   On  my  present
visit  I  am  accompanied  by  a large  delegation,  including
members  of  the  private sector.  My  visit  is  intended  to
sustain  the  interest and the momentum that  your  visit  had
generated.

3.    In  the  last  couple of years,  there  have  been  many
positive  developments in Guinea-Malaysia relations. There  is
now  greater awareness of each other's potentials.  Guinea has
opened  an  Embassy in Kuala Lumpur a month ago,  and  Telekom
Malaysia  is  now  the  majority  shareholder  in  the  newly-
privatised SOTELGUI.

4.    During  this  visit  a  number  of  important  bilateral
agreements  between Malaysia and Guinea will be  signed.   The
private  sector of the two countries would also sign a  number
of  MOUs  in Conakry.  The Investment Guarantee Agreement  and
the  Agreement  on Partial Abolition of Visa between  our  two
countries  would  create  a  better  climate  for  trade   and
investment   flows  and  provide  a  framework  for   enhanced
interaction between our two countries.

5.    As  members  of  the G-77 and OIC, Malaysia  and  Guinea
already  enjoy warm and cordial relations. It has always  been
Malaysia's  desire to further concretise this  cooperation  by
venturing  into trade, investment, development  and  in  other
fields  of  cooperation  as well.   It  is  with  this  larger
objective that there is a friendly "invasion" of Guinea by  so
many Malaysian businessmen.

6.    We  in  Malaysia have found that foreign investment  has
helped  to  transform our economy.  Investments have  provided
jobs,  foreign exchange, transfer of technology, expanded  our
industrial base and provided linkages between the agricultural
and  industrial sectors.  It also spawned the growth of medium
and  small-scale  industries.   From  these  small  beginnings
Malaysia has grown into a semi-industrialised nation which  is
able to invest in other developing countries.

7.    Guided  by this experience, Malaysia has endeavoured  to
play  a  somewhat  similar  role  by  cooperating  with  other
developing countries in the South, like Guinea.  In seeking  a
business presence overseas we have urged our private sector to
be good corporate citizens, to respect local sensitivities and
aspirations and to go for long term benefits than  short  term
gains.

8.    It  is  important  to us that the  Malaysian  bank,  the
telecommunications company, and other ventures, including  the
one  in research and development between Telekom Malaysia  and
the   University  of  Conakry  would  succeed  in  laying  the
foundation  and  spirit  for  partnership  between   our   two
countries.

9.    There  is  considerable scope to also realise  bilateral
cooperation  in  the field of training.  Malaysia's  Technical
Cooperation Program (MTCP) provide short courses in areas like
diplomacy,   public   administration,  agriculture   and   the
protection  of the environment.  We hope Guineans  will  avail
themselves of these  courses.  Guinean students can also apply
through the MTCP to study in Malaysian institutions of  higher
learning, like the International Islamic University  for  long
term courses.

10.  It is my sincere hope that the MOUs and business ventures
agreed  to between Malaysian and Guinean companies during  the
course  of  this  visit  would  serve  as  a  model  of   good
cooperation  between the two countries in  the  South.   While
Guinea  can be a gateway for Malaysian companies in this  part
of  Africa, I would like also to ask Guinean companies to take
advantage of our position in the ASEAN and East Asian  markets
to promote their products and services.

11.   With  that Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,  I  would
like  to  express  on  behalf  of my  delegation,  my  deepest
appreciation   to  His  Excellency  Mr.  President   and   His
Excellency  Mr. Prime Minister, to the Guinean Government  and
its  people for the warmth hospitality and friendship extended
to my wife and I and to the members of my delegation.