Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has sent a congratulatory message to Prime Minister of the French Republic Mr Manuel Valls. The text of the letter is below.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
3 APRIL 2014
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2 April 2014
Dear Prime Minister Valls,
Congratulations on your appointment as Prime Minister of France! I am confident that you will bring your experience as Interior Minister, Mayor of Évry and a National Assemblyman to bear as you lead France towards a brighter future.
Singapore and France enjoy excellent bilateral relations, underpinned by our 2012 Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership. We enjoy regular high-level exchanges and cooperate closely in many fields, such as defence, R&D, and cultural exchanges. I look forward to working with you to enhance our ties, bilaterally and with our regions. I therefore hope that France will continue to support the early ratification of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, which will benefit French companies venturing to Singapore and Asia, and contribute to your economic recovery.
Our countries celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations next year. We have planned many events to commemorate the occasion, including the Singapore Festival in France. Thank you for supporting these initiatives.
I wish you every success in your new position, and look forward to meeting you soon.
Yours sincerely,
LEE HSIEN LOONG
His Excellency Manuel Valls
Prime Minister
French Republic
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