Leaks won't affect ties, says MFA
Singapore's relationship with neighbours 'built on strong foundations'
By Rachel Lin
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) indicated yesterday that Singapore's relations with its neighbours will not be affected by the controversial WikiLeaks disclosures, as these relations are robust and built on strong foundations.
Responding to media queries, an MFA spokesman said: 'Singapore has longstanding, robust and positive relationships with all countries in our region.
'These relationships are built on a strong foundation of shared interests and mutually beneficial cooperation in many areas. Countries base relationships on their own interests, and not hearsay or gossip.'
The leaks in question contain barbed comments allegedly made by three senior Singapore diplomats. They took aim at several countries in the region and were released to the Australian media by the whistle-blowing website.
Echoing remarks made by Foreign Minister George Yeo on Sunday, the MFA spokesman noted that the Australian press reports were 'based on American interpretations of confidential conversations'.
They 'did not provide the full context and, in some cases, were from third party sources', the MFA spokesman said.
Mr Yeo had said that the leaked comments were taken out of context and were interpretations of views reflected by United States officials.
On Sunday, two Australian newspapers - The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age - published comments allegedly made by senior MFA officials Peter Ho, Bilahari Kausikan and Tommy Koh.
The comments had been taken from US State Department cables, which were released to Australia's Fairfax Media group by WikiLeaks.
Those cables apparently describe separate meetings in 2008 and last year between the three MFA diplomats and senior US officials.
Mr Ho and Mr Kausikan were both MFA permanent secretaries at the time, and Mr Kausikan still holds that position. Professor Koh is an ambassador-at-large.
Mr Ho, Mr Kausikan and Prof Koh were quoted criticising the leaders of Malaysia, Japan and other countries in the region.
In a September meeting last year, Prof Koh is said to have described Japan as a 'big fat loser' in the context of improving ties between China and Asean.
According to The Age, the leaked cable quotes Prof Koh as saying that Japan's decline in stature in the region was due to 'stupidity, bad leadership and lack of vision'.
Mr Kausikan allegedly told US Deputy Secretary of Defence for East Asia David Sedney during a meeting in September 2008 - six months after the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition lost its two-thirds majority in the Malaysian Parliament - that 'the situation in neighbouring Malaysia is confused and dangerous'.
He reportedly said that it was fuelled by a 'distinct possibility of racial conflict' that could see ethnic Chinese 'flee' Malaysia and 'overwhelm' Singapore.
When asked if he expected that subsequent WikiLeaks reports would contain critical comments about Singapore by other countries, the MFA spokesman said: 'There are many thousands of leaked cables from US diplomatic missions all around our region. I would be very surprised if Singapore were not the subject of at least some of them.'
He staunchly refused, as a matter of principle, to comment on the content of the leaks.
'Singapore takes leaks of confidential information very seriously and would not tolerate it here,' he added.
[email protected]
Singapore's relationship with neighbours 'built on strong foundations'
By Rachel Lin
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) indicated yesterday that Singapore's relations with its neighbours will not be affected by the controversial WikiLeaks disclosures, as these relations are robust and built on strong foundations.
Responding to media queries, an MFA spokesman said: 'Singapore has longstanding, robust and positive relationships with all countries in our region.
'These relationships are built on a strong foundation of shared interests and mutually beneficial cooperation in many areas. Countries base relationships on their own interests, and not hearsay or gossip.'
The leaks in question contain barbed comments allegedly made by three senior Singapore diplomats. They took aim at several countries in the region and were released to the Australian media by the whistle-blowing website.
Echoing remarks made by Foreign Minister George Yeo on Sunday, the MFA spokesman noted that the Australian press reports were 'based on American interpretations of confidential conversations'.
They 'did not provide the full context and, in some cases, were from third party sources', the MFA spokesman said.
Mr Yeo had said that the leaked comments were taken out of context and were interpretations of views reflected by United States officials.
On Sunday, two Australian newspapers - The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age - published comments allegedly made by senior MFA officials Peter Ho, Bilahari Kausikan and Tommy Koh.
The comments had been taken from US State Department cables, which were released to Australia's Fairfax Media group by WikiLeaks.
Those cables apparently describe separate meetings in 2008 and last year between the three MFA diplomats and senior US officials.
Mr Ho and Mr Kausikan were both MFA permanent secretaries at the time, and Mr Kausikan still holds that position. Professor Koh is an ambassador-at-large.
Mr Ho, Mr Kausikan and Prof Koh were quoted criticising the leaders of Malaysia, Japan and other countries in the region.
In a September meeting last year, Prof Koh is said to have described Japan as a 'big fat loser' in the context of improving ties between China and Asean.
According to The Age, the leaked cable quotes Prof Koh as saying that Japan's decline in stature in the region was due to 'stupidity, bad leadership and lack of vision'.
Mr Kausikan allegedly told US Deputy Secretary of Defence for East Asia David Sedney during a meeting in September 2008 - six months after the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition lost its two-thirds majority in the Malaysian Parliament - that 'the situation in neighbouring Malaysia is confused and dangerous'.
He reportedly said that it was fuelled by a 'distinct possibility of racial conflict' that could see ethnic Chinese 'flee' Malaysia and 'overwhelm' Singapore.
When asked if he expected that subsequent WikiLeaks reports would contain critical comments about Singapore by other countries, the MFA spokesman said: 'There are many thousands of leaked cables from US diplomatic missions all around our region. I would be very surprised if Singapore were not the subject of at least some of them.'
He staunchly refused, as a matter of principle, to comment on the content of the leaks.
'Singapore takes leaks of confidential information very seriously and would not tolerate it here,' he added.
[email protected]
