U.S. defense chief in Singapore

U.S. defense chief in Singapore

SINGAPORE (DPA): U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen arrived in Singapore on Saturday from the Philippines where the military pounded the bases of extremists holding an American and 18 other hostages after Cohen urged more negotiations.

The stopover in the city-state enabled Cohen to "exchange views on regional developments" with Acting Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Acting Minister for Defense David Lim, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

Cohen was scheduled to depart for Indonesia on Sunday.

While in Manila, Cohen also offered counter-terrorist training for the Philippine military.

The visit to Singapore is Cohen's third as secretary of defense. He was last there in October 1999.