Cook goes on with S'pore visit

Cook goes on with S'pore visit

SINGAPORE (AFP): British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook proceeded with a two-day visit as scheduled to Singapore, the last leg of his four-nation Asian tour, as Britain mourned the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

A Singapore ministry of foreign affairs spokesman said Cook's visit here "is proceeding as scheduled" despite the death of Diana in a car crash in Paris.

A British High Commission spokesman said "in view of the prevailing circumstances", Cook had canceled a planned cruise along Singapore's harbor organized by the Port Authority of Singapore as part of the scheduled program.

Cook declined further comment on Diana's death on arrival from Manila where he gave the first British official reaction to the death.

"I've heard nothing (from London) since I took off from the Philippines," a grim Cook told reporters at Singapore's Changi airport.

He said he would host a news conference this afternoon at the end of his visit to this city state.

Cook held talks with senior minister Lee Kuan Yew yesterday and was scheduled to meet separately Monday with Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, deputy premier Lee Hsien Loong and Foreign Minister Shanmugam Jayakumar.

Cook has already visited Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines as part of the six-day Southeast Asian tour, the most extensive of the region by a British foreign minister since 1988. Apart from bilateral issues, the trip was also to lay the foundations for an Asia/Europe Summit due to be held under the London presidency of the European Union in early 1998.

Cook said at the Manila military airport before his departure that Diana's death was an "immense loss".

"I am greatly shocked by this news. Our first thoughts must be with her children and family at this time of immense loss to them," he said.

"I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the princess on her international charity work."