Singapore-Indon talks on extradition, defence 'one package': MFA

The Straits Times, February 14, 2007


SINGAPORE'S Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has reiterated that bilateral negotiations on Singapore-Indonesia extradition treaty and defence cooperation agreement 'should be linked together and negotiated in parallel, as one package'.

The statement was in response to a Jakarta Post report that quoted an official as saying that 'if the negotiations on extradition have been concluded, then it should be signed first'.

MFA responded on Wednesday to press queries on remarks by Secretary-General of the Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs, Imron Cotan, that 'if the negotiations on extradition have been concluded, then it should be signed first', as reported in The Jakarta Post on Feb 12.

A Singapore MFA spokesman referred to Foreign Minister George Yeo's reply in Parliament on Feb 12, when he said that the two agreements 'should be linked together and negotiated in parallel, as one package'.