MALAYSIAN KING AND QUEEN ARRIVE IN CHILE FOR A FIVE-DAY VISIT

From Abdul Aziz Harun

SANTIAGO (Chile), April 20 (Bernama) -- Malaysian King Tuanku Mizan
Zainal Abidin and Queen Tuanku Nur Zahirah arrived here on
Sunday for a five-day visit to Chile.

The special aircraft carrying the royal couple landed at the Santiago
International Airport at 2.30am local time (2.30pm Malaysian time).

They were greeted on arrival by Chilean Foreign Affairs Ministry's
Department of Ceremony and Protocol director Papricio Becker, Chilean Ambassador
to Malaysia Hose Menuel and Malaysian Ambassador to Chile Abdullah Faiz Mohd
Zain.

Their Majesties are accompanied by Higher Education Minister Mohamed
Khaled Nordin as the minister-in-attendance.

Chile and Malaysia share cordial bilateral ties, with a healty and
encouraging trade relation.

Last year the bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to USD336
million, with Malaysia's export to Chile stood at USD186.8 million while import
was at USD148.7 million.

During the trip, the King will visit several places of
interest in the city, including the Consistorial Palace, Museum of Pre-Columbian
Art and the Galleria Animal.

His Majesty is scheduled to receive the key to the city from the Mayor of
Santiago, Pablo Zalaquett Said.

On Monday Tuanku Mizan is scheduled to attend the official welcoming
ceremony at the Constitution Square, before having an audience with the Chilean
President, Michele Bachelet.


-- BERNAMA