[Ip-health] Bush and Goh sign US-Singapore FTA

[Mike Palmedo]

http://reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml?storyID=2691899&type=bondsNews

*UPDATE 1-Bush, Goh sign US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement*
/ Tue May 6, 2003 03:32 PM ET /
(adds quotes, details)

WASHINGTON, May 6 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush and Singapore
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong signed a bilateral free trade agreement on
Tuesday linking the world's largest economy to the financial hub of
Southeast Asia.

At a White House ceremony, Bush praised Singapore for its support of the
U.S. war on terrorism and its longtime commitment to free trade.

"Our two countries have a proud history of friendship and cooperation.
We're working together to meet the threats of a new era and we share a
belief in the power of free enterprise and free trade to improve lives,"
Bush said.

The free trade pact is the first between the United States and a country
in Asia. It adds the city-state of 4 million mostly ethnic Chinese to a
short list of U.S. free trade partners that includes just Canada,
Mexico, Jordan and Israel.

Goh said he hoped the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement would quickly
lead to additional free trade pacts between the United States and other
countries in Southeast Asia.