MFA Press Statement: Visit to Portugal by Foreign Minister George Yeo, 30 August 2007

During his visit to Lisbon, Portugal, Foreign Minister George Yeo met with and was hosted to dinner by Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Dr Luis Amado.

They agreed that there is scope for strengthening political and economic ties between Portugal and Singapore. They noted Portugal's long-standing presence in Southeast Asia. Minister Yeo welcomed the proposal to establish a Portuguese Centre in Singapore to facilitate business cooperation between Portugal and Southeast Asia.

As ASEAN Chair, Minister Yeo discussed the upcoming ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit with Dr Amado as Portugal is currently holding the Presidency of the European Union.

The Ministers agreed that the Summit was a good opportunity to explore concrete areas of cooperation between the two regions. The Summit is also a timely occasion to have an exchange of views ahead of the meeting of the Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bali in December 2007.

Earlier in the afternoon, Minister Yeo also met the President of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Parliament of Portugal, Dr José Arnaut.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
31 AUGUST 2007