Singapore warms up to closer Arctic ties

Straits Times 20 Sep 13;

OTTAWA - Singapore has expressed interest in exploring opportunities for closer Arctic cooperation during Canada's chairmanship of the Arctic Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

In a statement, it said Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam also expressed appreciation for Canada's support for Singapore's successful application for observership in the Arctic Council when he met his Canadian counterpart John Baird in Ottawa on Wednesday.

The council - a multilateral forum for discussions on Arctic shipping, energy, environment and security - allows observer countries to contribute to discussions that can influence the decisions of its permanent members.

Singapore is using its membership status to better understand and respond to the shipping challenges from the icy Arctic, in particular the emergence of the new Northern Sea Route, which may allow ships to bypass Singapore by shipping through the Arctic.

Mr Shanmugam, who was on his first official visit to Canada, also reaffirmed the longstanding warm and friendly relations between Singapore and Canada.

Mr Shanmugam discussed with Mr Baird ways to strengthen Asean-Canada cooperation during Singapore's coordinatorship of the Asean-Canada Dialogue Relations.

While there, Mr Shanmugam also met the chair of the Arctic Council's Senior Arctic Officials, Mr Patrick Borbey.

After Ottawa, Mr Shanmugam travelled on to New York yesterday to attend the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly.