Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam was in Capitol Hill in Washington DC on 2 February 2012 and held separate meetings with Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Senator John Kerry (Democrat-Massachusetts); Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Senator Richard Lugar (Republican-Indiana); Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Senator Jim Webb (Democrat-Virginia); Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican-Florida); and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Representative Don Manzullo (Republican-Illinois). In addition, Minister Shanmugam had lunch with the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services Senator John McCain (Republican-Arizona) and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security Senator Joe Lieberman (Independent-Connecticut).
During his series of meetings with the US Members of Congress with responsibilities over Foreign Affairs and interest in Asia, Minister Shanmugam reaffirmed the long-standing and excellent bilateral ties between Singapore and the US, and expressed confidence in further strengthening cooperation between the two countries. They also had a good discussion on a wide-range of issues, including US foreign policy in Asia and key developments in the region. Minister Shanmugam welcomed the US' continued engagement in the Asia-Pacific in areas such as trade and investment, security and technical assistance.
Minister Shanmugam also met with the President of the Brookings Institution Strobe Talbott, who was the Deputy Secretary of State from 1994 - 2001 during the Clinton Administration; as well as a prominent group of American strategic thinkers and Administration officials over dinner.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
3 FEBRUARY 2012