Bush, Singapore's Lee To Sign Defense Partnership Agreement
12 July 2005
Nations will expand cooperation against terrorism, weapons proliferation
President Bush and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore released a joint statement July 12 announcing that they would sign an agreement to expand bilateral cooperation on defense and security matters.
The two leaders briefly spoke to reporters after meeting in the White House.
"This is a relationship based upon mutual trust [and] shared values," President Bush said. "[B]oth countries have an active role to play in laying the foundations for peace … in the Far East."
The Strategic Framework Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Singapore for a Closer Cooperation Partnership in Defense and Security is the end result of plans first announced by President Bush and Singapore's former prime minister, Goh Chok Tong, in October 2003, according to the joint statement.
Bush said the agreement illustrated the importance that the United States places on relations with Singapore.
"We've made a statement before on economic relations when we signed a free trade agreement," he said, referring to the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement signed in May 2003. "This agreement takes our relationship beyond just economics. …I happen to believe that it will have long-term consequences for peace in the region."
The United States and Singapore signed an earlier memorandum of understanding on military cooperation in 1990. That agreement gave American forces use of facilities in Singapore.
The new agreement recognizes Singapore as a "major security cooperation partner" and "will expand the scope of current cooperation in areas such as counterterrorism, counterproliferation, joint military exercises and training, policy dialogues, and defense technology," the joint statement says.
In addition, the statement says, the framework agreement will "further enhance regional stability by supporting the continued presence of the United States in Southeast Asia."
Prime Minister Lee, on his first official visit to the United States since he took office in August 2004, said counterterrorism is a "hot agenda item" for Singapore. The new agreement "builds upon a very sound relationship and broadens and deepens it further," he said.
Following is a transcript of the press availability of President Bush and Prime Minister Lee, followed by the text of their joint statement:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
July 12, 2005
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH
AND PRIME MINISTER LEE OF SINGAPORE
IN A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
The Oval Office
9:50 A.M. EDT
PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. Prime Minister, welcome.
PRIME MINISTER LEE: Thank you.
PRESIDENT BUSH: We've just had a very interesting and comprehensive discussion about our bilateral relations, which are strong. But Singapore is -- is a country that has an interesting position in the Far East. The Prime Minister brings a perspective about the U.S. role, about the future of the region that I have found fascinating. The Prime Minister is a strategic thinker. He obviously worries about the lives of the citizens in his country, daily lives in what's taking place, but he's also got the capacity to see beyond the horizon.
And I want to thank you for sharing your insights. I appreciate so very much your -- your advice. And I look forward to working with you. We're going to sign a very important document here, cementing our good relationship.
And, finally, the Prime Minister and I share a clear vision about the world in which we live when it comes to terror -- these terrorists that kill on a moment's notice. They don't care who you are. They want to shake our will. They want to -- they want to drive America from the world. They want the free world to retreat. They've got ideological ambitions, and it's going to require a steadfast response. And the Prime Minister understands that.
And I appreciate your strength of character and your clear vision about the dangers we face. Welcome. Glad you're here.
PRIME MINISTER LEE: Thank you, Mr. President. I'm very happy to be here to meet the President in the Oval Office. Singapore and America share many common interests and many similar perspectives on the world around us, particularly in Asia. And I've been happy to have a wide exchange of views with the President on how East Asia is developing; what's happening in Asia; how China and India are opening up and becoming influential in the region and exerting a positive influence on many of the countries; and how America can be part of Asia and engage, participating, and continuing to stabilize and to maintain the security in the region, as it has done for many years.
One aspect of security, of course, is anti-terror. And I told the President how much we appreciated America's strong, consistent stand on this, that not withstanding any -- whatever the terrorists may throw at America, that it will stay firm and there's absolute confidence that it will not waver, whether in Iraq or anywhere else in the world.
It's critical to watch because, for us, anti-terror is also a hot agenda item. So it's one of the areas of mutual interest which has lead our two countries to embark upon a strategic framework agreement which will set out the basis for us to broaden and deepen the cooperation which we already have had over these many years. And I'm very happy that today we'll have the chance to sign that agreement.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, sir.
We'll answer a question apiece. Deb.
Q: Mr. President, you had a meeting this morning with four leading senators. How much more input do you need before you'll be able to make a decision on this? And, you know, how close are you?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Closer today than I was yesterday. (Laughter.) I did have a good breakfast with four United States senators, the leaders of the Senate plus the heads of the Judiciary Committee. I asked their advice on a couple of matters. One, I asked their advice on the timing of a nominee. In other words, how fast could they get to the -- to the hearings necessary for a nominee's name to move forward. Obviously, we're in a very interesting period here; you got the end of the session coming up, then you got an August break. So I was just trying to get a sense of their view of the calendar. And I want to thank them for being forthright.
Obviously, they get to decide. They're the legislative branch; they get to determine how fast to move a nominee's name, or not. My only question to them is, what will it take to be able to get a person confirmed by early October.
Secondly, we talked in general about a potential nominee. They've got strong opinions, and I wanted to hear them. And they have shared some opinions with me. And, of course, they're sharing -- many senators are sharing their opinions with others on my staff. We're actively seeking recommendations.
I am going to be deliberate in the process because I want the American people to know that, when I finally make a decision, it's going to be one based upon a lot of research and a lot of thought about the character of the person, the integrity of the person, the ability of the person to do the job, and the philosophy of the person. And as you know, I campaigned twice for President of the United States, and I said, if I have a chance to name somebody to the Supreme Court, or courts in general, I'll pick people who will use the bench -- will interpret the Constitution while on the bench, but not use the bench to legislate. We've got a legislative body called the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. They do the legislation. And the courts will then interpret the Constitution as to whether or not the laws are constitutional or not.
And so that's where we are in the process. It's a --
Q: Have you heard from your wife about her desire for you to name a woman?
PRESIDENT BUSH: My wife? Listen, I talked to her yesterday. She's in Africa on a mission of goodwill. She's talking about women's education and HIV/AIDS. Listen, I get her advice all the time. I didn't realize she'd put this advice in the press. That's -- (laughter.) She did? Well, good. I'm definitely considering -- we're definitely considering people from all walks of life, and I can't wait to hear her advice in person when she gets back. (Laughter.)
Q: Can we ask some questions on Singapore? What's the significance of the agreement that's going to be signed from Singapore's perspective and from the United States' perspective?
PRIME MINISTER LEE: Well, from our perspective, it builds on a very sound relationship and broadens and deepens it further. It enables us to focus more on anti-terrorism, on anti-WMD proliferation, as well as on other aspects of our relationship -- defense technology cooperation, military cooperation between our armed forces, and strategic and security exchanges.
PRESIDENT BUSH: From our perspective, it is a -- it is a statement about how important our relations with Singapore are. We've made a statement before on economic relations when we signed a free trade agreement. And that was an important agreement. It's important for our economy; it's important for the economy of Singapore. This agreement takes our relationship beyond just economics. It's a strategic relationship. It is one that will have long-term consequences for both our peoples. But I happen to believe that it will have long-term consequences for peace in the region. And that's very important.
This is a relationship based upon mutual trust, shared values, but it's also a relationship that recognizes that we have an active role to play, both countries have an active role to play, in laying the foundations for peace in the region of the world that -- in the Far East. And it's an important region.
One of the points that the Prime Minister has made to me, and he keeps reminding me that our involvement in the Far East is very important. And we will stay involved in a constructive way. And this agreement is a constructive agreement. It's a constructive way to stay involved.
Thank you all for coming.
Following is the text of the joint statement from President Bush and Prime Minister Lee, released by the White House:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
July 12, 2005
JOINT STATEMENT
BETWEEN PRESIDENT BUSH
AND PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG
President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong reaffirm the strong U.S.-Singapore partnership and will open a new chapter in strategic cooperation by signing the "Strategic Framework Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Singapore for a Closer Cooperation Partnership in Defense and Security."
The Agreement is a natural step in the expansion of bilateral ties. President Bush and then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong first announced their intention to conclude this agreement in October 2003. It was born out of a shared desire to address common threats such as terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), which called for even closer cooperation between the United States and Singapore. The Agreement recognizes Singapore's role as a Major Security Cooperation Partner and will expand the scope of current cooperation in areas such as counterterrorism, counter-proliferation, joint military exercises and training, policy dialogues, and defense technology. The Agreement will further enhance regional stability by supporting the continued security presence of the United States in Southeast Asia.
The President and Prime Minister agree that the U.S. presence in the region has promoted peace and stability, which are crucial for regional cooperation and economic development. The President and Prime Minister instruct their senior officials to meet to continue close coordination on strategic issues in the period leading up to their next bilateral meeting.
The President and the Prime Minister acknowledge progress in the war on terror. The Prime Minister commends the President for the United States' resolute and steadfast stance in the war on terror and expresses Singapore's continued support in this endeavour.
The two leaders welcome the successful election of the first Iraqi National Assembly. President Bush expresses appreciation for Singapore's contributions to Iraq's reconstruction and stabilization. He commends the professionalism of the Singapore Armed Forces personnel who have been deployed in support of Iraq operations over the past two years and of the Singapore Police Force, which has provided critically important training.
The President and Prime Minister express optimism about the outlook in Southeast Asia. They welcome successful elections, the strengthening of democratic institutions, and renewed economic growth in the region and agree that these trends should be encouraged. The two leaders note the progress countries in the region have made in disabling terrorist networks through enhanced cooperation among ASEAN nations and with the international community. The President and Prime Minister condemn the terrorist attacks in London and call on governments around the world to fight terrorism together. They agree that a sustained, long-term effort is needed to defeat terrorism and reaffirm their commitment to continue working closely on law enforcement, non-proliferation, and other appropriate measures to address all aspects of the war on terror.
The President and Prime Minister express satisfaction with the seamless cooperation between the United States and Singapore in responding to the humanitarian disaster caused by the tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. The two leaders note the increasing importance of the Regional Emerging Diseases Intervention (REDI) Centre in light of growing concern over transnational-public-health threats such as SARS and avian influenza. They also note the importance of the Straits of Malacca, and President Bush pledges U.S. support for the region's initiatives for maritime security.
The President and Prime Minister welcome the successful implementation of the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and the growth in bilateral trade since it became effective on January 1, 2004. They express satisfaction with growing commercial ties between our two countries and are confident that trade and investment relations will continue to expand.
The President and Prime Minister pledge to sustain the close cooperation between the United States and Singapore in key regional and global multilateral institutions. The President reaffirms U.S. support for ASEAN and the ASEAN Regional Forum. The two leaders note the central role of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in supporting trade and investment liberalization and in promoting cooperative efforts to strengthen regional security. With the forthcoming first Meeting of the East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur in December 2005, they agree that the future development of cooperation among countries in the region should be open, transparent, and inclusive. The President and Prime Minister reaffirm the warm and strong ties between the United States and Singapore, which are grounded in historical cooperation, common interests, and shared strategic perspectives.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
