SCENESETTER FOR PM A-A/S MULL'S VISIT TO SINGAPORE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 002084

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FROM CDA FOR PM A-A/S STEPHEN MULL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ECON ETRD ETTC BM SN
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR PM A-A/S MULL'S VISIT TO SINGAPORE

REF: SINGAPORE 1991

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Daniel Shields, reasons 1.4 (a)(b)&(d)


1. (C) Embassy Singapore looks forward to your December 3
visit. Your meetings with senior Singapore government
officials offer an excellent opportunity to:

-- express thanks for GOS support in Iraq and Afghanistan;
-- highlight our close security relationship and the
importance of interoperability with our armed forces;
-- encourage the GOS to continue its counterproliferation
efforts and to support enhanced law enforcement cooperation;
and
-- discuss regional developments following the ASEAN, East
Asia and related summits.

Partners, not Allies
--------------


2. (SBU) Our excellent bilateral relationship with Singapore
is founded on a convergence of views on key strategic issues
and substantial trade and investment ties. As a tiny,
wealthy, predominantly ethnic-Chinese state surrounded by
much larger, poorer, Malay/Muslim neighbors, Singapore is
motivated by an acute sense of vulnerability. It is also
grappling with the economic and strategic impact of the rise
of China and India. Consequently, Singapore views a strong
U.S. diplomatic, economic, and military presence in the
region as essential to its own and the region's peace and
prosperity.


3. (C) Singapore is a valuable logistics hub for U.S. Forces.
Our 2005 bilateral Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA)
updated and further enhanced what had already been very
strong cooperation military and strategic cooperation.
However, the SFA stops short of a formal alliance in
deference to Singapore's concerns about regional
sensitivities. Our military leases its facilities here;
there are "places, not bases" on the island. Singapore
routinely buys the best equipment available for its small,
highly trained military. The GOS seeks greater
interoperability with the U.S. military and shows a strong
preference for U.S. equipment. The level of technology
release is an important factor in its procurement decisions.

Iraq and Afghanistan
--------------


4. (C) Singapore continues to provide support for Coalition
forces in Iraq, and GOS leaders have publicly stressed that
failure in Iraq would have dire consequences for the region
and beyond. Singapore's leaders are concerned about the
"Arabization" of Southeast Asian Islam and the potential
spread of Middle East-inspired radicalism here. In
Afghanistan, Singapore provided modest support for Provincial
Reconstruction Team (PRT) activities this year and has
indicated (reftel) it will expand these efforts next year.
It continues to rotate deployments of KC-135 tankers, C-130
cargo airplanes, and LSTs to support CENTCOM operations. The
GOS has not been willing, however, to deploy ground forces.
The Singapore Armed Forces is a professional-conscript mix,
with all Singaporean males over 18 required to fulfill two
years of national service and subject to reserve
responsibilities until age 40.

Terrorism and Non-proliferation
--------------


5. (SBU) Singapore is a reliable and highly capable partner
in the Global War on Terrorism. In 2001, the GOS uncovered a
plot by Jemaah Islamiya to bomb targets in Singapore,
including U.S. diplomatic and military facilities. Singapore
continues to view itself as a potential "trophy" terrorist
target and has implemented a range of measures to enhance its
security. It has also improved counterterrorism cooperation
with the United States and other countries and is working
with Malaysia and Indonesia to enhance maritime security in
the Strait of Malacca. The GOS currently holds approximately
34 terrorism suspects in detention.


6. (C) Singapore participates actively in a number of
counterproliferation initiatives, including the Proliferation
Security Initiative, the Container Security Initiative,

SINGAPORE 00002084 002 OF 002


Megaports, and is currently working with us to establish a
Secure Freight Initiative pilot. A major transshipment hub,
Singapore has announced plans to bring its strategic goods
list into compliance with the four major international export
control regimes by January 2008, although we remain concerned
about an exception to the expanded Stategic Goods Control Act
that relates to goods remaining in Singapore's free trade
zones for less than designated periods of time. It has taken
action against a number of suspect shipments, but remains
focused on maintaining the competitiveness of its port and
worries about financial liability for seizures. Singapore is
an eager consumer of our EXBS training. Singapore still does
not collect manifest data on transshipment or transit cargo
unless it is bound for the United States, e.g., under CSI.
Information sharing between our respective law enforcement
organizations is improving, but is sometimes impeded by
Singapore's stringent bank secrecy laws, for example. The
GOS has made several legislative and regulatory changes
related to countering the financing of terrorism, as well as
anti-money laundering. Singapore has been extremely
cooperative in the area of UNSCR terrorist finance
designations. As an IAEA board member, Singapore has
supported our efforts to press Iran to abandon its nuclear
ambitions.

Regional Issues
--------------


7. (C) As a small state, Singapore routinely encourages
outside powers to take an interest in Southeast Asia and
compete, in a healthy way, for influence. This minimizes the
ability of any one state to dominate the region and gives
greater relevance to the interests of Southeast Asia. For
example, Singapore lobbied successfully for India's inclusion
in the East Asia Summit. The GOS frequently urges us to
engage more with Indonesia and welcomes our resumption of
military ties there. Singapore also sees strengthening ASEAN
as a useful response to the region's strategic and economic
challenges and is using its current chairmanship of the
organization to encourage political and economic integration.

Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
HERBOLD