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Synopsis :

At a state dinner in honour of President Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan, President Devan Nair notes that Pakistan has achieved stability and economic growth under President Zia's leadership. Pakistan holds a vital, strategic position in oil rich Southwest Asia. The international community is impressed by the generosity, compassion and humanitarianism of the people of Pakistan who provided refuge, shelter and food to thousands who fled their homeland following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Singapore supports Pakistan's efforts to achieve a just and peaceful solution there. President Nair notes that Pakistan was one of the original signatories of the Manila Pact which today guarantees the security of countries in Southeast Asia. The most urgent problem in ASEAN today is blatant violations of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. The cruel fate of people of Afghanistan and Cambodia underscores the urgency of the need to check the ruthless and aggressive expansionism of new imperialists. This challenge must be overcome to improve the lives of the people. President Nair thanks President Zia for Pakistan's steadfast support for ASEAN and its efforts to bring a comprehensive political settlement of the Cambodian problem. He invites all to join him in a toast to the good health and happiness of the President, Mrs. Zia and the ministers and officials from Pakistan.  In his speech, President Zia-ul-Haq shares anecdotes of the time when he was in Singapore as a soldier. He recalls buying cloth in Singapore for a ceremonial dress he wore for 25 years and also of listening to a woman near his camp playing the sitar. Touching on the crisis in Afghanistan, he says that this has inflicted suffering on 3.5 to 4 million Afghan refugees in various parts of the world. Pakistan salutes those in Afghanistan who are fighting a battle for the entire free world with very little resources. He hopes that the free world can get together and put pressure on the Soviet Union and Vietnam to withdraw their forces from Afghanistan and Cambodia respectively. Pakistan is looking after 2.8 million Afghan refugees at a cost of US$1 million a day. 50% of this is borne by Pakistan. He thanks Singapore for its moral and material help. He also hopes for solutions to the Middle East problem and the unjust north-south economic divide which can threaten world peace. President Zia notes that Singapore and Pakistan have forged close cooperation in the political, economic, commercial and cultural fields. He looks forward to discussions with President Nair and the Prime Minister of Singapore and is confident that relations will be further deepened to benefit both countries.