Goh asks Delhi to 'look east' more seriously

Singapore Prime Minister H.E. Goh Chok Tong (R) shakes hands with former Indian prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee prior to a meeting at Vajpayee's residence in New Delhi yesterday. Goh is on a three-day state visit to India. PHOTO: AFP

At a ceremonial reception accorded to him at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning, Goh said he was looking forward to enhancing the already close bilateral relations during his three-day visit here. "I look forward to productive exchanges... The discussions will focus on how to engage India with Singapore, Asean and East Asia," he said after a brief welcome ceremony at which Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil were present.

Noting that this, his fifth visit to India, was aimed at renewing "personal friendship with the leadership" here, Goh said Singapore wanted "more investments" to flow into this country. "It is more important for India to look east in political and strategic terms and increase economic relations with Singapore and Asean," he said while underlining his long association with Dr Singh.

Goh, who is the first head of government to visit India since the Congress-led UPA government assumed office, was conferred one of the nation's most prestigious awards, the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding, tonight at Rashtrapati Bhavan by the President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Kalam suggested the creation of an Asian Union on the lines of the European Union to turn the continent into a region of peace and prosperity and called for reforms in the UN to reduce tensions and chances of war. "If Europe, war-torn for centuries, can come together, why can't we, who share similar civilisational strength," Dr Kalam said.

Speaking on free trade area agreement with Singapore, proposed by the previous NDA government, Dr Singh injected a note of caution, saying his government would "not rush" into any new arrangement in foreign relations, but would consider all options while seeking to achieve a broad domestic consensus.

"This is a new government... we'll look at all options before rushing into new arrangements," Dr Singh said.