South African President Thabo Mbeki received a royal welcome today ahead of talks with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad aimed partly at developing a common stand for upcoming world trade negotiations.

Mbeki and his wife Zanele, who arrived in Malaysia late yesterday, were received at Parliament Square by King Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin and Queen Tuanku Fauziah, along with Mahathir and his deputy Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

A military band played the national anthems of both countries while Mbeki received a 21-gun salute and inspected an honour guard by some 100 officers from the first Malay Regiment.