SINGAPORE : The foreign ministers of Singapore and Malaysia have
urged their senior officials to make an attempt to narrow
differences arising from the bilateral issues being
discussed.
And if this is not possible, they have been asked to crystallise
the issues so they can be sent to Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi for a political
decision.
Making these points in Parliament on Friday, Foreign Minister
George Yeo says negotiations on the proposal to build a bridge to
replace the causeway are still ongoing.
Mr Yeo said: "Singapore's position on the full bridge remains
unchanged. Singapore can agree to Malaysia's proposal to replace
the Causeway with a new bridge only if there is a balance of
benefits on both sides.
"Only then can the considerable costs involved including our side
of a new bridge be justified. It is how this balance of benefits is
to be achieved that is currently being discussed between the
officials of both sides.
"On a half bridge, Singapore's consistent position has been
reiterated on several occasions. On 25th October 2003, we sent a
TPN (third party note) to Malaysia stating that any unilateral
decision to demolish its side of the Causeway to construct a half
bridge has to comply with the principles enunciated in the order
issued by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
"Our TPN also stated that international facilities like the
Causeway could not be demolished without the approval, agreement
and involvement of both states.
"When I met Syed Hamid during the MFA-Wisma games, I said while
Singapore fully respected Malaysia's sovereignty, any major works
in the Straits of Johor could affect Singapore and we needed to
know the details to assess the environmental and other impact." -
CNA/de