NAJIB AND OBAMA BRING FRESH MOMENTUM TO BILATERAL TIES

From Tham Choy Lin



WASHINGTON, April 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and the United States' relations
achieved another milestone after Prime MinisterNajib Tun Razak and
President Barack Obama met for their first-ever bilateral talks, on the
sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit here Monday.

The two leaders opened on a light-hearted footing before they went deeper
into a wide range of issues from commerce to nuclear non-proliferation, Acting
Foreign Minister Dr Rais Yatim told Bernama.

Even as the Malaysian entourage was leaving, Obama called out to Najib for a
few more minutes and chatted to him in private.

"The atmosphere was very cordial and upbeat. I think the whole meeting has
seen a level of enhanced and fresh note of enthusiasm for bilateral relations.
President Obama has expressed his friendship and we have no doubts of his warmth
and sincerity," said Rais who is Information Communication and Culture Minister.


During the 40-minute encounter, the two leaders spoke of economic
cooperation and Obama surprised the Malaysian delegation with his knowledge of
Malaysia's New Economic Model (NEM) and its goal of transforming Malaysia into a
high-income economy that was unveiled by Najib less than two weeks ago.

"President Obama complimented the Prime Minister for a sure-footed
economic
model and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton mentioned the possibility of future
opportunities for US companies in Malaysia.

"So, on the economic front, it is very promising," Rais said.

Najib also gave his undertaking that Malaysia would participate actively in
the
Trans-Pacific Partnership initiated by the Obama administration to push for
economic integration in the Asia-Pacific which accounts for 40 per cent of world
trade.

Moving on to international issues, Obama sought Malaysia's assistance in the
rebuilding of Afghanistan.

They also touched on the concern among international community over Iran's
nuclear build-up.

Najib pledged Malaysia's readiness to assist in medical and reconstruction
programmes in Afghanistan and Obama proposed that the matter be further
discussed during a meeting between the Prime Minister and US Special
Representative Richard Holbrooke on Thursday.

On Iran, Rais said both leaders agreed that Iran should abide by its
obligations to deploy nuclear only for peaceful means.

"They agreed that every nation had a right to nuclear energy for peaceful
means
and every country should come clean and be transparent on this vis-a-vis the
International Atomic Energy Agency," he added.

Obama lauded Malaysia's recent passing of the Strategic Trade Bill to thwart
illegal transactions of arms to prevent weapons proliferation.

Najib reiterated that Malaysia would remain a strong opposer of weapons
proliferation.

He also briefed Obama on Malaysia's success in containing the Jemaah
Islamiah militant organisation linked to the al-Qaeda, the latest development in
Asean which held its annual summit last week and the situation in southern
Philippines and Thailand.

Najib attended the Asean Summit in Vietnam before coming here.

The Prime Minister also extended an invitation to Obama to visit Malaysia.

"That too touched off a hilarious note on both sides when the Prime Minister
mentioned that the last visit by a US president to Malaysia was by Lyndon
Johnson in the sixties," Rais said.

-- BERNAMA



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