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MFA SPOKESMAN'S COMMENTS
NEW STRAITS TIMES
ARTICLE "BRIDGE TALKS END ON PROMISING NOTE"
DATED 20 OCTOBER 2005
In response to media queries on the above, the
MFA Spokesman said:
"In its article 'Bridge talks end on promising note'
dated 20 October 2005, the New Straits Times (NST) characterised
the outcome of the talks as a 'breakthrough'. This misrepresents what
happened during the meeting. Although the senior officials had a good
meeting, nothing has been agreed to on the bridge and other outstanding
bilateral issues. In particular, Singapore has not agreed 'in
principle' to the construction of the bridge to replace the Causeway.
Such speculative reports are counterproductive while these discussions
are ongoing.
As stated
by Minister for Foreign Affairs George
Yeo in Parliament on 17 October 2005, Senior
Minister Goh Chok
Tong and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi had
agreed that it would not be helpful to publicise the details of
discussions on the outstanding bilateral issues at this juncture.
Malaysian officials have also denied releasing such information to the
media. It is therefore unfortunate that such misrepresentations
persist."
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
21 OCTOBER 2005
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs comments
on New Straits Times article
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