MFA Spokesman's Comments on Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla's reported comments in the Financial Times of 28 February 2007

In response to media queries on Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla's reported dismissal of the "claim" that both Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong "agreed in 2005 that any Extradition Treaty could only be signed together with a Defence Cooperation Agreement" (Financial Times, "Indonesian vice-president forecasts growth up to 7%", 28 February 2007), the MFA Spokesman said:

"It is not a claim but a fact that President Yudhoyono and Prime Minister Lee had agreed in October 2005 to negotiate the two Agreements in parallel and as a package. One cannot be concluded without the other. We would like both Agreements to be concluded early."

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
28 FEBRUARY 2007