Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Trade and Industry Mr Lim Hng Kiang and Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen will attend the seventh meeting of the Singapore – Australia Joint Ministerial Committee (SAJMC) to be held in Canberra, Australia on 10 September 2012, together with senior officials from the respective Ministries. The Australian side will be represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Bob Carr, Minister for Defence Mr Stephen Smith and Minister for Trade and Competitiveness Mr Craig Emerson. The 7th SAJMC will be co-chaired by Minister Shanmugam and Minister Carr.
The SAJMC was established in 1996 following the launch of the New Partnership initiative by then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating. Hosted alternately between Singapore and Australia, the SAJMC is a high-level bilateral dialogue that provides an opportunity for the Singapore and Australian Ministers to comprehensively review the bilateral cooperation between Singapore and Australia and to engage in an exchange of views on political, economic and security developments on the regional and international fronts. The SAJMC meeting was last held in Singapore in July 2009.
While in Canberra, the Singapore Ministers will also make a joint call on Australian Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott. Minister Shanmugam and Minister Ng will also have separate bilateral meetings with Foreign Minister Carr and Defence Minister Mr Stephen Smith respectively.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
7 SEPTEMBER 2012