Foreign Policy

SINGAPORE'S FOREIGN POLICY

The fundamental principles of Singapore’s foreign policy are as follows:

• As a small state, Singapore has no illusions about the state of our region or the world.
  
  
• Singapore must always maintain a credible and deterrent military defence as the fundamental underpinning for an effective foreign policy;
  
  
• Singapore must promote and work for good relations with our immediate neighbours in all spheres;
  
  
• Singapore stands by its friends who have stood with it in times of need;
  
  
• Singapore is fully committed to the Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN);
  
  
• Singapore will work to maintain a secure and peaceful environment in and around Southeast Asia, especially the Asia Pacific region;
  
  
• Singapore will continue to work for the maintenance of a free and open multilateral trading system;
  
  
• Singapore is ready to trade with any state for mutual benefit and maintain an open market economy;
  
  
• Singapore will support and be active in international organisations such as the United Nations (UN).

BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND THE UAE

Singapore established diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 15 May 1985. Singapore-UAE relations are warm and cordial and underpinned by strong economic ties. As a major trading partner of Singapore, the UAE is an important supplier of oil as well as a major market for Singapore's non-oil exports. There is also a significant presence of Singapore businesses in the UAE, participating in sectors such as ship repair, marine support, import and export and Information Technology (IT). As one of the largest tourist markets for Singapore in the Middle East, there is a healthy flow of people-to-people contact. Bilateral relations are further strengthened by the regular high level contacts between our political leaders. For example, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong visited the UAE in February 2000 while the Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister for Defence of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed paid a visit to Singapore in April 2001. Minister of Foreign Affairs Prof S Jayakumar's official visit to the UAE in May 1996 was the third from Singapore, following previous official visits by Ministers S Rajaratnam (January 1974) and S Dhanabalan (February 1985).

. . . . .