MALAYSIAN KING BEGINS STATE VISIT TO URUGUAY

From Abdul Aziz Harun

MONTEVIDEO, April 27 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and his consort Tuanku Nur Zahirah Monday began their state visit to Uruguay.

Their Majesties flew in to the Carrasco International Airport in a special
aircraft at 6.15pm Sunday (5am Monday in Malaysia), and were greeted by
Uruguayan Foreign Affairs Minister Gonzalo Fernandez.

The royal couple were accompanied by Higher Education Minister Mohamed
Khaled Nordin as the minister-in-attendance and several senior government
officers.

This is the second visit to Uruguay by a Malaysian head of state. The first
was in September 1995 by the late Tuanku Ja'afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

The current state visit is also to reciprocate the state visit to Malaysia
by Uruguayan President Dr Tabare Vazquez Rosas in November 2007.

Tuanku Mizan and Tuanku Nur Zahirah are scheduled to have an audience with
Vasquez on Tuesday. In the evening, the President will host a state banquet in
honour of the Malaysian royal couple.

The visit is expected to provide impetus for improving bilateral relations
and symbolises the warm and close ties of friendship between the two countries.

Prior to the state visit, Tuanku Mizan participated in the Pan-American
Endurance Race in Costa Azul, about 50km from here, on Friday at the invitation
of Vasquez.

The Malaysian team clinched the first place among the six non-Pan American
countries which participated in the gruelling 120-km biennial challenge that
involved a cross-country resistance race.

The six non-Pan American countries were Malaysia, England, France, Belgium,
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
--BERNAMA