SINGAPORE NOT LOOKING TO UNDERMINE UN PROCUREMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SINGAPORE 002081 SIPDIS SIPDIS IO/MPR/SC - GLOCKNER AND USUN - RASHKOV E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2017 TAGS: PREL AORC UN UNGA UNGA SN SUBJECT: SINGAPORE NOT LOOKING TO UNDERMINE UN PROCUREMENT TASK FORCE REF: A. USUN 686 ¶B. STATE 157642 Classified By: E/P Chief Ike Reed for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) (C) In response to ref B demarche on the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) Procurement Task Force (PTF),Gerard Ho, MFA Deputy Director of the International Organizations Directorate, United Nations and Legal Issues Branch, assured us that Singapore continues to support the OIOS and was not trying to undermine the PTF. However, Singapore felt that its national had not received fair treatment and that even "watch dogs" must be held accountable to high standards of transparency. Ho agreed to convey to Singapore,s Mission in New York our concern that it not publicly undermine the credibility of the PTF. Ho went on to predict that the PTF,s mandate would be renewed. He said the GOS may make a statement about the importance of transparency in PTF investigations, but did not plan to object to a renewal of the PTF mandate. Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm SHIELDS