Asia-Middle East dialogue to be held in Singapore next June

Asian Economic News, Nov 15, 2004

SINGAPORE, Nov. 9 Kyodo

Officials, business leaders, academics and opinion-makers from Asia and the Middle East will hold a dialogue next June in Singapore to promote greater understanding between the two regions on issues, Singapore's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

A spokeswoman said the dialogue, which was originally proposed by former Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, is expected to be held on a regular basis and will involve 50 countries from the Middle East and Asia, including China, Japan and South Korea.

When Goh visited the Middle East last February as prime minister, he proposed that an ''Asia-Middle East Dialogue'' be established to forge closer understanding between the peoples of the two regions on political, security, economic cooperation and social-cultural matters.

The Straits Times newspaper reported Tuesday that the dialogue would provide a platform for moderate Muslim countries to speak up and share success stories, and create better understanding of mainstream Islam and of changes taking place in the Middle East, where many countries are looking to East Asia for economic models.

A steering committee comprising officials from Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore met here for two days last month to lay the groundwork for next year's meeting, to which Israel will not be invited.

Singapore, which has long had close ties with Israel but little contact with Arab countries, has recently been courting these countries with an eye to business opportunities there.

The daily quoted ministry officials as shrugging off as inaccurate recent press reports that Singapore's move to cultivate closer relations with the Arab world marks a departure from its previously close association with Israel.

They also denied suggestions that Singapore is trying to compete with Malaysia in making business inroads into the Middle East.

Singapore is currently pursuing trade negotiations for free trade deals with Jordan, Bahrain and Egypt, and is expected to begin talks with Kuwait soon.