Referring to the Straits Times article "Asean urged to fight protectionist urges", in which Foreign Minister George Yeo was quoted as saying that it was "ASEAN's fault" that the ASEAN-India free trade pact was delayed, the MFA Spokesman clarified that:
"Even though the ASEAN Summit was postponed, there was an invitation by ASEAN to India to sign the FTA agreement at the Informal AEM in Singapore on 16 December 2008. Unfortunately, that date was not convenient to the Indian side. The important task now is to have the FTA signed at the earliest date possible."
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
24 FEBRUARY 2009