Mahathir to attend Thatcher's funeral in London

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will attend the funeral of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to be held this week, Malaysian Foreign Ministry said Monday.

Prime Minister Najib Razak has named Mahathir as the representative of Malaysian government to the funeral, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Mahathir will join some 2,000 invited guests to pay the last tribute to Britain's first female and longest serving prime minister of the 20th century.

Thatcher died on April 8 at the age of 87 after suffering a stroke. Her funeral will be held at St Paul's Cathedral in London on Wednesday.

Mahathir, who is also 87, is Malaysia's longest serving Prime Minister. He took over the position in 1981, only stepped down in 2003 after 22 years of premiership.

The Foreign Ministry said Mahathir enjoyed a close friendship with Thatcher, who led her country from 1979 to 1990, and bilateral relations of the two countries also strengthened during their time.

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