M'SIAN PM TO VISIT THREE GULF COUNTRIES BEGINNING SUNDAY

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will
visit three Gulf countries beginning Sunday to further strengthen Malaysia's
bilateral ties with them.

Abdullah will first fly into Bahrain on Sunday for a two-day visit followed
by two-day visits to Qatar and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to a Foreign Ministry statement here Thursday, this is Abdullah's
first visit to the oil-rich states since becoming Prime Minister.

Abdullah will be accompanied by his wife Jeanne Abdullah, several cabinet
ministers, senior government officials and corporate figures.

In Bahrain, Abdullah is scheduled to have an audience with Bahrain Ruler
Shaikh Hamad Isa Al Khalifa and delegation meetings with his counterpart Shaikh
Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa.

According to the statement, while in Qatar, Abdullah is scheduled to meet
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and his counterpart Sheikh Hamad
bin Jasim bin Jabir Al-Thani while in UAE , the Prime Minister is scheduled to
meet his counterpart Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Abu Dhabi Crown
Prince General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In the delegation meetings with the three countries, the statement said
issues of bilateral, regional and international cooperation as well as areas of
common interest like Israel's invasion of Gaza would be discussed.

It said Malaysia now shared good ties in the areas of trade and investment,
tourism, education, infrastructure development, Islamic banking and capacity
building with the three Gulf countries.

Among the major projects undertaken by Malaysian companies in Bahrain are
its Formula One racing circuit worth RM560 million and Bahrain City Centre
project valued at RM1.9 billion.

In Qatar, Malaysian companies are in the process of completing the
construction of Doha's international airport valued at RM1.9 billion (US$529.4
million) while in UAE, the construction of the five towers project in Al Reem
island worth RM1.3 billion (US$362.2 million) is scheduled for completion in
September.

The statement added that the Prime Minister was scheduled to visit several
project sites of Malaysian companies and also give keynote addresses at business
forums in Bahrain and Qatar.
-- BERNAMA