Singapore, Indonesia to sign extradition treaty, defence pact on Friday
By Hasnita A. Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 23 April 2007 2301 hrs

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SINGAPORE : After a few years of negotiations, Singapore and Indonesia have completed discussions on two bilateral issues - an Extradition Treaty and a Defence Cooperation Agreement.

The foreign and defence ministers from both countries will be signing the agreements in Bali on Friday.

The signing will be observed by Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

These details were revealed by Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo and his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda in a news conference on Monday.

In the latest round of talks, both sides had been negotiating for two days and one night, right up to the minutes just before the news conference.

Mr Yeo said officials from Singapore and Indonesia had done good work in bridging outstanding issues. They also managed to close the gaps.

Mr Yeo said: "The talks were characterised by a high degree of cooperation, friendship, flexibility and goodwill, and because goodwill was in ample supply on both sides, we are able to reach a good agreement for both the extradition treaty and the defence cooperation. Both agreements will help us lay a strong foundation for further cooperation in the future."

Agreeing, Dr Hassan said the agreement was a result of the hard work and determination of both countries to work together as "friends and neighbours".

"Indonesia and Singapore are good neighbours and we are determined to expand and deepen our bilateral ties. I believe that the conclusion of the two agreements will contribute in our joint efforts to strengthen our bilateral ties," he said.

Dr Hassan added that it had been a "long and arduous process".

More details of the agreements reached were not disclosed.

For now, what is confirmed is that Singapore and Indonesia will sign both the Extradition Treaty and a Defence Cooperation Agreement in a ceremony on the island of Bali on Friday.

Mr Lee and Dr Yudhoyono will be witnessing the ceremony.

The two leaders had agreed in October 2005, when they met in Bali, that the treaty and agreement will be negotiated in parallel, and that one cannot be concluded without the other.

Since then, chief negotiators have been hard at work. On Monday, the final details were ironed out.

Mr Yeo, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean and Chief of Defence Force Major-General Desmond Kuek, met their Indonesian counterparts in Singapore.

The group was then briefed by their chief negotiators before another round of joint discussions.

By evening, both sides had reached an agreement on all remaining issues. - CNA/ms/de