09 MAR 1996

DR MAHATHIR RETURNS FROM A THREE-DAY VISIT TO VIETNAM

KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Dr arrived home tonight from a three-day working visit to Vietnam at the invitation of the republic's prime minister Encik Vo Van Kiet. The Prime Minister had a tight schedule during the visit aimed at enhancing and strengthening two-way ties and extending the scope of cooperation between and Vietnam. During his stay there, Dr Mahathir held discussions with Encik Vo Van Kiet and had meetings with the secretary general of the Vietnamese Communist Party Encik Do Muoi and the country's president Encik Le Duc Anh, besides visiting several Malaysian companies operating there and Vietnam-Malaysia joint ventures. The Prime Minister's wife, Datin Seri Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamed Ali, Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister Datuk Sabbaruddin Chik, Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Dr Leo Micheal Toyad and Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Kerk Choo Ting were among about 30 members of the Malaysian delegation following Dr Mahathir. Foreign Minister Datuk and his wife, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk , Deputy Home Minister Datuk Megat Ayub, and Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Environment Datuk Abu Bakar Daud were among the dignitaries who were at the Bunga Raya VIP room of Lapangan Terbang Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, Subang, to welcome the Prime Minister and his delegation. -- BERNAMA SJA AO