RI's unrest doesn't affect Singapore economy, says Goh<\/p>\n
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP): Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
\nsaid on Friday that turmoil in Indonesia was having no effect on
\nhis country's economy, which was feeling little pressure from the
\nsteadily weakening Indonesian rupiah.<\/p>\n
\"Growth in Singapore comes from our ability to export. The
\nhealth of the U.S. economy is more important to us than the
\nrupiah,\" Goh told reporters .<\/p>\n
He discussed the situation in south-east Asia with European
\nCommission President Romano Prodi.<\/p>\n
The International Monetary Fund is overseeing sweeping reforms
\ndesigned to pull Indonesia out of an economic crisis. Indonesia's
\nfailure to implement key reforms in April led the IMF to delay
\ndisbursement of crucial loans until last week.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Indonesian struggles with ethnic tensions,
\nnotably separatist violence in Aceh, where finding a lasting
\npeace is a major test for Indonesia as it moves toward democracy
\nand economic reform after years of corrupt authoritarian rule.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia requires attractive investment (and) we need to
\nshow we are supporting Indonesia, to help attract foreign
\ninvestment,\" Goh said.<\/p>\n
Goh and Prodi also discussed information technologies and the
\npossibility of sending Asian computer scientists and engineers
\nover to EU's 15 member states. \"We spent part of our conversation
\nexploring what we can do about the (IT-skills) gap in Europe and
\nwhat we can do to fill this gap,\" Prodi said.<\/p>\n
Prodi also assured Goh Singapore and other Asian countries
\nwill not become less of a priority now that the EU is focusing on
\nan ambitious eastward expansion program that will see the union's
\nmembership nearly double in the next decade.<\/p>\n
\"I was a little concerned that with so many preoccupations and
\nchallenges, Europe may have less time for Asia,\" said Goh after a
\ntwo-hour meeting and lunch with the head of the European Union's
\nexecutive branch.<\/p>\n
\"But I am reassured that Asia remains important to Europe and
\nto the European Commission,\" he told reporters.<\/p>\n
With the 15-nation European Union gearing up to add a
\npotential dozen new member states and turmoil still brewing in
\nthe Balkans, many observers had suspected that Asia was slowly
\nslipping down Brussels' agenda.<\/p>\n
Prodi described his talks with Goh as \"fruitful and friendly,\"
\nand portrayed Singapore -- the EU's biggest trading partner in
\nSoutheast Asia -- as an important bridge between east and west.<\/p>\n
Senior officials from the European Union and Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are to meet in Portugal later
\nthis month, ahead of an EU-ASEAN foreign ministers' conference in
\nautumn.<\/p>\n
Ministerial contacts faltered last year over the role of
\nMyanmar (Burma) and its military government in an EU-ASEAN
\ndialogue.<\/p>\n
Prodi and Goh said they looked forward to a third EU-Asia
\nsummit to be held in Seoul in October.<\/p>\n
Goh added that he \"impressed upon Mr Prodi that the European
\nCommission should show confidence in Indonesia,\" where civil
\nstrife has aroused concern among EU foreign policy makers.<\/p>\n
He suggested that Prodi or one of his commissioners travel to
\nJakarta \"to give a signal to investors that confidence remains\"
\nin Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Other topics covered by Prodi and Goh included trade,
\ninformation technology, education and human resources
\ndevelopment, said a statement from Prodi's office.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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