Tuesday May 15, 2007
Cordial environment for bilateral talks raises hopes
By MERGAWATI ZULFAKAR
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Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi welcoming Singapore’s Prime Minster Lee Hsien Loong to Langkawi for the inaugural annual consultation between Malaysia and the Republic. The meeting brings hopes of a resolution to oustanding bilateral issues and of better ties between the two nations. |
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his entourage arrived here yesterday on a Singapore air force aircraft to the beating of kompang and the accompaniment of bunga manggar.
He was immediately whisked off to the Four Seasons Hotel in Tanjung Rhu, where Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi greeted him.
Lee, accompanied by several Cabinet Ministers, was later feted to a dinner hosted by Abdullah at the hotel.
The two leaders will have a one-on-one breakfast meeting today before adjourning to a delegation meeting at the hotel and lunch on board a Star Cruises ship.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said that although the get-together was to enable a freewheeling discussion to be held, Malaysia expected matters of mutual interest to be raised.
“The intention is to take advantage of the friendly and very cordial environment that has been established,” Syed Hamid told reporters.
“Singapore has got its reason for wanting to have this get-together. If they have something on their plate, we are interested to see what we can achieve.”
Outstanding bilateral issues include the price of water sold to Singapore, development of KTM land in Singapore, the new bridge to replace the Causeway and the use of Malaysian airspace by the Singapore air force.
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