DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH INDEPENDENT ASIAN COUNTRIES

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Tay Boon Too asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Labour if he will take steps to establish diplomatic relations with all inde pendent Asian countries irrespective of their political ideologies provided that he is satisfied that these countries will not interfere in the internal affairs of Singapore.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Labour (Mr S. Rajaratnam): Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore's policy - it has been repeatedly said -is to be friends with all countries regardless of their political ideologies or their system of government so long as they respect our sovereignty and territorial integrity and refrain from interfering in our internal affairs. Singapore is therefore prepared to establish diplomatic relations with all countries who want to be friends in Asia and elsewhere too. However, the establishment of Singapore diplomatic missions abroad is a different matter. This will be governed by financial considerations, personnel re sources and the degree of our interest in the various countries. So friendly contacts with countries in Asia will be maintained and consolidated, in some cases, by the establishment of our diplomatic missions and, in other cases, by official visits and by working together with them in the United Nations and other organisations.

However, in speaking about the establishment of diplomatic ties, one feature which is somewhat unusual in the world today is the existence of divided countries. In the case of divided countries, diplomatic relations with one part of a divided country to the exclusion of the other can only mean lending support to one against the other. For this reason, we have since independence maintained, in the case of divided countries, that we would be most happy to have trade and consular relations with either of them on an equal basis and that we would do nothing that would give an advantage to one side over the other.

Mr Ang Nam Piau (Thomson): Mr Speaker, Sir, can the Minister for Foreign Affairs inform the House how many independent Asian countries have already established diplomatic relations with Singapore?

Mr Rajaratnam: I cannot recollect the precise number. It is neither too big nor too small. But if the Member is interested, he can ask the Ministry of Culture which has a consular list of the countries which have diplomatic relations here.