Singapore, US expand security ties during Bush visit<\/p>\n
Agencies, Singapore\/Canberra<\/p>\n
Singapore and the United States agreed to formally step up their
\ndefense and security ties during U.S. President George W. Bush's
\nvisit to the Southeast Asian nation on Tuesday, officials said.<\/p>\n
Bush and Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong agreed to
\nstart talks on a "framework agreement for the promotion of a
\nstrategic cooperation partnership in defense and security", the
\ngovernments said in a joint statement released after the leaders
\nmet.<\/p>\n
The statement said the agreement would expand upon the scope
\nof current bilateral cooperation in these areas.<\/p>\n
It specifically named counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation
\nof weapons of mass destruction, joint military exercises and
\ntraining, policy dialogs and defense technology as areas where
\nties will be enhanced.<\/p>\n
"Both leaders expressed the desire to see this framework
\nagreement implemented as soon as possible," the statement said.<\/p>\n
Singapore is already one of the United States' closest allies
\nin Southeast Asia, and U.S. warships often stop off in the city-
\nstate's famous port in one of the more high-profile signs of the
\ntwo nations' close defense ties.<\/p>\n
The nations are also developing closer economic links, with a
\nbilateral free trade agreement signed this year due to take
\neffect in January.<\/p>\n
"This visit builds upon the strong and multi-faceted U.S.-
\nSingapore partnership, which saw the signing of the U.S.-
\nSingapore Free Trade Agreement earlier this year, and on a
\nhistory of cooperation, congruent interests and shared
\nperspectives," the statement said.<\/p>\n
Bush and Goh also endorsed a memorandum of understanding that
\ntheir governments recently signed to build ties in the fight
\nagainst health threats -- both natural and the potential use of
\nbiological agents by terrorists.<\/p>\n
A Regional Emerging Diseases Intervention Center will be set
\nup in Singapore to research and prevent communicable and non-
\ncommunicable diseases, as well as bioterrorism.<\/p>\n
Bush arrived in Singapore on Tuesday afternoon from Thailand,
\nwhere he and Goh attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
\nannual leaders' summit.<\/p>\n
Bush is on a whirlwind tour of Asia and Australia that began
\nin Tokyo on Oct. 17 and took him to the Philippines before the
\nsummit in Bangkok.<\/p>\n
He will leave for the Indonesia island of Bali early on
\nWednesday, and then travel to Australia.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Australian armed fighter jets with a license to
\nkill have begun patrols in the skies over Canberra as the city on
\nTuesday began an unprecedented security operation for a visit by
\nPresident Bush.<\/p>\n
Royal Australian Air Force F\/A-18 Hornets, with permission to
\nshoot down suspicious planes, will escort Bush's plane, Air Force
\nOne, into Canberra on Wednesday night and patrol the usually
\nsleepy city's skies during the president's 20-hour visit.<\/p>\n
It is only the second time armed air force jets have flown
\noperationally over Australia's mainland since World War II. The
\nfirst such operation was mounted last year as leaders of the 54
\nCommonwealth nations attended a summit on the northeast coast.<\/p>\n
Australian Defense Force spokesman Brigadier Mike Hannan said
\nthe fighter deployment would be complemented by a range of other
\nmeasures to ensure Bush's safety during his first visit to
\nAustralia and guard against any Sept. 11-style attack.<\/p>\n
The security operation is the tightest mounted in Australia,
\nwhich is being rewarded with a visit by Bush for sending troops
\nto the U.S.-led assault on Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001,
\nattacks and to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq this year.<\/p>",
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