I am pleased to announce that, in re sponse to my invitation, the Prime
Minister of Malaysia, Dr Mahathir, has agreed to an informal meeting in
Brisbane on 29 March. Dr Mahathir is visiting New Zealand that week and I suggested such a meeting in Australia on his way back to Kuala Lumpur.
We shall have a broad ranging discussion about our bilateral relationship and other regional and global issues of mutual interest. I value greatly the opportunity for such contact with Dr Mahathir and the benefit of his views in the early weeks of my Prime Ministership.
The Foreign Minister, Mr Downer, will meet Dr Mahathir during the Prime
Minister's stopover in Darwin on his way to New Zealand on 25 March. This idicates the importance my Government attaches to Australia's relationship with Malaysia and the attention that Mr Downer intends to give to the enhancement of that relationship.
I look forward to welcoming Dr Mahathir to Australia.
14 March 1996