S'pore-Australian pact

S'pore-Australian pact

SINGAPORE (Reuter): Singapore and Australia signed an agreement on Saturday to collaborate in providing technical training to developing Asia-Pacific countries.

The agreement came two days after a visit to Singapore by Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating during which the two countries issued a declaration urging closer cooperation in political, security, economic and cultural matters.

The technical cooperation program covers civil aviation, environmental management, health, housing, information technology, port management, productivity and telecommunications.

It was signed by Singapore's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kishore Mahbubani, and the Australian High Commissioner to Singapore, Ted Delofski.

Under the program, which begins in April, Singapore and Australia will sponsor two training courses a year.

Both officials said the agreement reflected Singapore and Australia's growing partnership and their joint commitment to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.