[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 19 (Monday, May 12, 2003)]
[Pages 552-553]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Joint Statement Between the United States of America and Singapore

May 6, 2003

    President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong today 
signed the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and celebrated the 
strength and vitality of the bilateral relationship between the United 
States and Singapore.
    In the signing ceremony and in their Oval Office meeting, the two 
leaders expressed conviction that the FTA, the first ever between the 
United States and an Asian nation, would enhance mutual prosperity and 
reinforce the strategic partnership between the two nations. The two 
leaders expressed hope that the FTA would be a catalyst for trade 
liberalization and enhanced growth in the region and beyond. In this 
regard, the President and the Prime Minister reaffirmed their commitment 
to achieving a successful outcome at the World Trade Organization's Doha 
Development Agenda trade negotiations. The President also reaffirmed his 
commitment to the Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative (EAI), which he 
launched at APEC in 2002 with Leaders from the Association of Southeast 
Asian Nations (ASEAN). The EAI sets forth a roadmap to promote increased 
investment, economic growth, and free trade between the United States 
and ASEAN countries.
    The President and the Prime Minister agreed that the U.S.-Singapore 
security partnership has helped foster stability in Asia. The President 
also thanked Singapore for its leadership beyond the region, including 
as a key member of the Coalition on Iraq. Singapore supported the U.S.-
led coalition to disarm Iraq out of a belief that the world must send a 
strong message of deterrence to other regimes and terrorist networks 
that might be looking to use weapons of mass destruction. Prime Minister 
Goh welcomed the successful conclusion of combat operations in Iraq, and 
the two leaders agreed to cooperate closely to deliver the humanitarian 
assistance and services necessary to help the people of Iraq build a 
stable, prosperous, and democratic state. In that regard, the President 
welcomed Singapore's offer to dispatch a medical team, police personnel, 
and technicians to help rebuild Iraq.
    President Bush and Prime Minister Goh reviewed recent developments 
in Southeast Asia. President Bush praised Singapore's efforts to respond 
to the challenge of terrorism in Southeast Asia. The two leaders noted 
that enhanced cooperation among ASEAN nations and international 
cooperation with the region has helped disrupt terror plots and led to 
the apprehension of members of the Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist network. 
They welcomed recent arrests in Indonesia and the exceptional progress 
made in the investigation of the October 2002 Bali bombings.

[[Page 553]]

However, the President and the Prime Minister agreed that the war 
against terrorism in Southeast Asia is far from over. The two leaders 
pledged to redouble their efforts to work with other leaders in the 
region and through multilateral organizations, including ASEAN and APEC, 
to defeat terrorism. They also reaffirmed their commitment to work with 
other states in Asia to achieve the complete, verifiable, and 
irreversible elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
    President Bush and Prime Minister Goh discussed the global health 
threat posed by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). President Bush 
commended Singapore for its quick, decisive, and transparent response to 
SARS and expressed confidence that Singapore's efforts to prevent the 
spread of the disease would succeed. President Bush also welcomed Prime 
Minister Goh's leadership in initiating the Special ASEAN Leaders 
Meeting and ASEAN-China Leaders Meeting on SARS held in Bangkok on April 
29, 2003. Given American leadership in the biomedical field and 
Singapore's advanced research facilities, President Bush and Prime 
Minister Goh agreed that the two countries should explore prospects for 
collaborative efforts to understand new health threats which put the 
world community at risk, including tropical diseases and biological 
warfare agents. The two leaders tasked their respective health and 
medical experts to begin consultations on possible joint projects.
    The warm discussion between the President and the Prime Minister and 
the signing of the U.S.-Singapore FTA strengthens their personal 
friendship and the partnership between their two nations. The goodwill 
generated today will be valuable in moving forward on their common 
agendas.

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.