UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION (UNESCO) (Plans for Singapore to rejoin)

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UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION (UNESCO):

(Plans for Singapore to rejoin): 21.

Mr Tan Soo Khoon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there are plans for Singapore to rejoin the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and, if none, under what conditions will it do so.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Prof. S Jayakumar): Mr Speaker, Sir, when Singapore terminated its membership of UNESCO on 31st December 1985 , we did so for several reasons, which included the manner in which the rates of assessment for our contributions were calculated.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in consultation with our other agencies, has periodically reviewed the merits of re-joining UNESCO. Our last review was done in early 2000, and at that time, we concluded that there were no compelling reasons for us to rejoin UNESCO yet.

However, let me assure the Member that we continue to keep an open mind, and do not rule out rejoining UNESCO. We are now in the midst of conducting another review on the issue. The Member asked about the conditions under which we will rejoin. The main consideration, of course, is whether it will advance our national interests.

Mr Tan Soo Khoon (East Coast): Mr Speaker, Sir, if I recall, when we left UNESCO in 1985, we followed the decision of the United States and the United Kingdom. And at that time, it was an issue over the management staff of the organisation and the direction in which the organisation was heading towards. Are these still issues today?

Secondly, does it not appear very odd that being a responsible member of the

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world community and given the fact that UNESCO has 190 member countries, and that the United States and the United Kingdom have rejoined UNESCO, Singapore appears to be the last country holding out?

Prof. Jayakumar: Mr Speaker, Sir, in response to the Member, let me first say that although the United Kingdom and United States withdrew at that time, Singapore's decision to withdraw from UNESCO was based on our own assessment of the situation which, as I have said in my main answer, included several reasons.

One of these reasons did relate to our assessment about reports on the management and the organisation at that time under the then Director. We would have to consider all these as we review, because there is now a new Director. The Director's name, a Japanese, is Koichiro Matsuura who, as far as I know, has taken significant steps in the reform of the organisation and its structure. But the main point I want to make is, if the United States and the United Kingdom have rejoined, it does not mean that we blindly follow their example. We have to do our own review and make a decision whether to rejoin UNESCO and decide also on the timing of rejoining, if that is the decision of our review.