[6th Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Conference]
On Monday, the Foreign, Defence and Trade Ministers of Singapore met their Australian counterparts for a meeting to discuss how we can strengthen bilateral relations. Our overall relations are excellent marked by close cooperation across all sectors and a high degree of trust. There is also considerable mutual affection going back to colonial days. When we became independent, Australia contributed significantly to our nation-building through the Colombo Plan and many other programmes. The meeting went very well. An informal breakfast planned for an hour and a half became a retreat of three and a half hours.