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(b) the Secretary of State agrees to the following programme suggestions, in particular the proposals for a speech and signature of an MOU on third-country training.
Background
3. The Secretary of State will pay a short visit to Singapore on 5-6 July, on his way to Japan for the G7 Summit. It will be his first visit as Foreign Secretary. The last visit by a Foreign Secretary was in 1988. Singapore was one of the options for a stopover on the way back from the ASEAN Meeting in Manila last July, but in the event Malaysia was chosen. The High Commissioner noted then that Singapore should be a high priority for a future visit to the region by the
Secretary of State.
our
Singapore is the UK's 19th largest export market; trade was around £1.1 billion each way in 1992. It serves as
an entrepot for the region as a whole;
its economic progress over more than two decades is remarkable. Growth (at 4.5%) is
slowing slightly now that the economy is maturing, but prospects remain excellent. Some 450 British firms are established in Singapore. Notwithstanding Lee Kuan Yew's unhelpful comments on Hong Kong, Singapore is a stable and
reliable partner in south-east Asia. We have been criticised
(gently) for appearing to take our excellent relations for
granted. The Secretary of State's visit, following those of
the Defence Secretary (21 May) and Minister for Trade
(3-4 June), and preceding visits by the Minister for Energy (19 September) and the Lord Mayor of London (4-7 August), will leave the Singaporeans in no doubt about the importance we attach to the relationship.
sead05/SUES/sofs.sgpvis
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