Transcript of Minister George Yeo's Doorstop with Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid bin Syed Jaafar Albar on 4 February 2006, 7.30 pm at the Press Room, Fullerton Hotel

GY: Syed Hamid and I had a very good informal bilateral meeting. We talked about the recent visit of His Majesty the Agong and Her Majesty Permaisuri. They had very good visit to Singapore and I think that visit symbolised the warm relationship between the two countries. We were very honoured to play host in Singapore.

We, on both sides, affirm that we are sticking to our negotiations for a full bridge. In fact, the senior officials had made good progress and they will be meeting again in the not too distant future. Singapore's position on the full bridge has been stated. It costs a lot of money and if there is a balance of benefits, then we will be happy to go along. This is the basis on which both sides are now conducting negotiations.

I agree with Syed Hamid that we don't want negotiations to go on forever. So we are urging our officials to crystallise the issues, make progress, so that at an appropriate time, they can be surfaced to Prime Minister Pak Lah and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong for political decisions and trade-offs. They meet, and we agreed that best if these negotiations take place away from the media glare. We can brief you in general terms but give more space to officials to be creative and to work out good arrangements.

Then, on the half-bridge, I was very happy with Syed Hamid's clarification to the New Straits Times. Singapore's position is this: we fully respect Malaysia's sovereignty but if there are major works in the Straits which affect both sides, then under ITLOS, Singapore would ask for consultations. There are also reports that perhaps if a half-bridge is built, then the Causeway will be demolished on the Malaysian side. If that were to happen, then Singapore will have to study very carefully the environmental and other legal implications.

We also discussed Myanmar and the importance of Syed Hamid making an early visit to Yangon on the basis of decisions taken at Kuala Lumpur during the Summit. Singapore shares Malaysia's concern that despite great efforts made by Syed Hamid, there's been no progress on that front. This makes it very difficult for the rest of us in ASEAN to be defending Myanmar at various international forums when we have very little knowledge of what's happening there.

So I will say on the whole, we had a very good discussion. We are very grateful that Malaysia has sent a very big delegation down to Singapore, not just officials but also Members of Parliament and Sharifah Aziah and other wives also came down and we are very honoured by all these. We look forward to our golf game tomorrow and we will be on the same team. Thank you.

SH: Okay, I think this has been a very good visit and I think I would like to thank Singapore, George Yeo personally, for all the arrangements that have been made. I think we want to maintain the informal atmosphere, the warm and friendly and sincere building of trust and understanding between us. That's a very important element. I think, the visit, as George mentioned, of His Majesty the King and the Queen of Malaysia to Singapore, I think it's one of the most memorable and we have picked up so many confidence building blocks to create an environment of understanding between a country that is so intertwined in many aspects.

I think we would like to move forward in terms of that relationship. So far as negotiations are concerned, I share George's view that the negotiations will continue and I think the subjects have been identified, have been crystallised, but we want them to come up with something specific where both our leaders can come and confirm and say yes, this is what we have finalised and we do not intend to gain. I think both sides must mutually benefit from whatever the outcome of the discussion or negotiations that they are going to have. I think overall we have been discussing the subject in a very friendly and frank, very candid and I think this is the type of atmospherics that I would like to maintain. Let us try to take the lead on the economic investment and trade side and let us also translate it in terms of our political will and decision to see that Singapore and Malaysia can be always on track in fostering very close bilateral relations.

GY: I second all that.

Q: On the scenic bridge, so Malaysia will not go ahead to build ...

SH: No, I think when we are negotiating on the full bridge, I would not like to discuss on other things. I think I would like to leave the matter, yes, we are discussing on full bridge, our mandate is to go on with the negotiations and on other matters have been brought up. We have identified it. We hope we will come near. Other things that we do on our side which does not affect Singapore, and I really appreciate George's assertion that Singapore respects the sovereignty of Malaysia and the right of Malaysia to do what it want with its land but if it affects Singapore in any way, Singapore like to be consulted. When we come to that, we will discuss about that. Thank you.

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