[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 46 (Monday, November 20, 2000)]
[Page 2885]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Joint Statement by President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Goh Chok 
Tong on a United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement

November 16, 2000

    The United States of America (USA) and Singapore have agreed to 
start negotiations on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
    USA and Singapore are both firm supporters of the Asia-Pacific 
Economic Cooperation (APEC), and are committed to APEC's Bogor Goals of 
free and open trade and investment by 2010 for industrialized economies 
and 2020 for developing economies.
    The USA and Singapore reaffirm their strong commitment to the 
multilateral trading system and the launch of a New Round in 2001.
    The FTA will be modeled after the US-Jordan FTA.
    We have directed Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky and Minister George 
Yeo to endeavor to conclude negotiations before the end of the year.

 Note: The joint statement referred to Minister of Trade and Industry 
Yong Boon George Yeo of Singapore. An original was not available for 
verification of the content of this joint statement.