Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 251287 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AEMR ASEC AMGT AE AS AMED AVIAN AU AF AORC AGENDA AO AR AM APER AFIN ATRN AJ ABUD ARABL AL AG AODE ALOW ADANA AADP AND APECO ACABQ ASEAN AA AFFAIRS AID AGR AY AGS AFSI AGOA AMB ARF ANET ASCH ACOA AFLU AFSN AMEX AFDB ABLD AESC AFGHANISTAN AINF AVIATION ARR ARSO ANDREW ASSEMBLY AIDS APRC ASSK ADCO ASIG AC AZ APEC AFINM ADB AP ACOTA ASEX ACKM ASUP ANTITERRORISM ADPM AINR ARABLEAGUE AGAO AORG AMTC AIN ACCOUNT ASECAFINGMGRIZOREPTU AIDAC AINT ARCH AMGTKSUP ALAMI AMCHAMS ALJAZEERA AVIANFLU AORD AOREC ALIREZA AOMS AMGMT ABDALLAH AORCAE AHMED ACCELERATED AUC ALZUGUREN ANGEL AORL ASECIR AMG AMBASSADOR AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL ADM ASES ABMC AER AMER ASE AMGTHA ARNOLDFREDERICK AOPC ACS AFL AEGR ASED AFPREL AGRI AMCHAM ARNOLD AN ANATO AME APERTH ASECSI AT ACDA ASEDC AIT AMERICA AMLB AMGE ACTION AGMT AFINIZ ASECVE ADRC ABER AGIT APCS AEMED ARABBL ARC ASO AIAG ACEC ASR ASECM ARG AEC ABT ADIP ADCP ANARCHISTS AORCUN AOWC ASJA AALC AX AROC ARM AGENCIES ALBE AK AZE AOPR AREP AMIA ASCE ALANAZI ABDULRAHMEN ABDULHADI AINFCY ARMS ASECEFINKCRMKPAOPTERKHLSAEMRNS AGRICULTURE AFPK AOCR ALEXANDER ATRD ATFN ABLG AORCD AFGHAN ARAS AORCYM AVERY ALVAREZ ACBAQ ALOWAR ANTOINE ABLDG ALAB AMERICAS AFAF ASECAFIN ASEK ASCC AMCT AMGTATK AMT APDC AEMRS ASECE AFSA ATRA ARTICLE ARENA AISG AEMRBC AFR AEIR ASECAF AFARI AMPR ASPA ASOC ANTONIO AORCL ASECARP APRM AUSTRALIAGROUP ASEG AFOR AEAID AMEDI ASECTH ASIC AFDIN AGUIRRE AUNR ASFC AOIC ANTXON ASA ASECCASC ALI AORCEUNPREFPRELSMIGBN ASECKHLS ASSSEMBLY ASECVZ AI ASECPGOV ASIR ASCEC ASAC ARAB AIEA ADMIRAL AUSGR AQ AMTG ARRMZY ANC APR AMAT AIHRC AFU ADEL AECL ACAO AMEMR ADEP AV AW AOR ALL ALOUNI AORCUNGA ALNEA ASC AORCO ARMITAGE AGENGA AGRIC AEM ACOAAMGT AGUILAR AFPHUM AMEDCASCKFLO AFZAL AAA ATPDEA ASECPHUM ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
ETRD ETTC EU ECON EFIN EAGR EAID ELAB EINV ENIV ENRG EPET EZ ELTN ELECTIONS ECPS ET ER EG EUN EIND ECONOMICS EMIN ECIN EINT EWWT EAIR EN ENGR ES EI ETMIN EL EPA EARG EFIS ECONOMY EC EK ELAM ECONOMIC EAR ESDP ECCP ELN EUM EUMEM ECA EAP ELEC ECOWAS EFTA EXIM ETTD EDRC ECOSOC ECPSN ENVIRONMENT ECO EMAIL ECTRD EREL EDU ENERG ENERGY ENVR ETRAD EAC EXTERNAL EFIC ECIP ERTD EUC ENRGMO EINZ ESTH ECCT EAGER ECPN ELNT ERD EGEN ETRN EIVN ETDR EXEC EIAD EIAR EVN EPRT ETTF ENGY EAIDCIN EXPORT ETRC ESA EIB EAPC EPIT ESOCI ETRB EINDQTRD ENRC EGOV ECLAC EUR ELF ETEL ENRGUA EVIN EARI ESCAP EID ERIN ELAN ENVT EDEV EWWY EXBS ECOM EV ELNTECON ECE ETRDGK EPETEIND ESCI ETRDAORC EAIDETRD ETTR EMS EAGRECONEINVPGOVBN EBRD EUREM ERGR EAGRBN EAUD EFI ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ETRO ENRGY EGAR ESSO EGAD ENV ENER EAIDXMXAXBXFFR ELA EET EINVETRD EETC EIDN ERGY ETRDPGOV EING EMINCG EINVECON EURM EEC EICN EINO EPSC ELAP ELABPGOVBN EE ESPS ETRA ECONETRDBESPAR ERICKSON EEOC EVENTS EPIN EB ECUN EPWR ENG EX EH EAIDAR EAIS ELBA EPETUN ETRDEIQ EENV ECPC ETRP ECONENRG EUEAID EWT EEB EAIDNI ESENV EADM ECN ENRGKNNP ETAD ETR ECONETRDEAGRJA ETRG ETER EDUC EITC EBUD EAIF EBEXP EAIDS EITI EGOVSY EFQ ECOQKPKO ETRGY ESF EUE EAIC EPGOV ENFR EAGRE ENRD EINTECPS EAVI ETC ETCC EIAID EAIDAF EAGREAIDPGOVPRELBN EAOD ETRDA EURN EASS EINVA EAIDRW EON ECOR EPREL EGPHUM ELTM ECOS EINN ENNP EUPGOV EAGRTR ECONCS ETIO ETRDGR EAIDB EISNAR EIFN ESPINOSA EAIDASEC ELIN EWTR EMED ETFN ETT EADI EPTER ELDIN EINVEFIN ESS ENRGIZ EQRD ESOC ETRDECD ECINECONCS EAIT ECONEAIR ECONEFIN EUNJ ENRGKNNPMNUCPARMPRELNPTIAEAJMXL ELAD EFIM ETIC EFND EFN ETLN ENGRD EWRG ETA EIN EAIRECONRP EXIMOPIC ERA ENRGJM ECONEGE ENVI ECHEVARRIA EMINETRD EAD ECONIZ EENG ELBR EWWC ELTD EAIDMG ETRK EIPR EISNLN ETEX EPTED EFINECONCS EPCS EAG ETRDKIPR ED EAIO ETRDEC ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ERNG EFINU EURFOR EWWI ELTNSNAR ETD EAIRASECCASCID EOXC ESTN EAIDAORC EAGRRP ETRDEMIN ELABPHUMSMIGKCRMBN ETRDEINVTINTCS EGHG EAIDPHUMPRELUG EAGRBTIOBEXPETRDBN EDA EPETPGOV ELAINE EUCOM EMW EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM ELB EINDETRD EMI ETRDECONWTOCS EINR ESTRADA EHUM EFNI ELABV ENR EMN EXO EWWTPRELPGOVMASSMARRBN EATO END EP EINVETC ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID ELTRN EIQ ETTW EAI ENGRG ETRED ENDURING ETTRD EAIDEGZ EOCN EINF EUPREL ENRL ECPO ENLT EEFIN EPPD ECOIN EUEAGR EISL EIDE ENRGSD EINVECONSENVCSJA EAIG ENTG EEPET EUNCH EPECO ETZ EPAT EPTE EAIRGM ETRDPREL EUNGRSISAFPKSYLESO ETTN EINVKSCA ESLCO EBMGT ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EFLU ELND EFINOECD EAIDHO EDUARDO ENEG ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EFINTS ECONQH ENRGPREL EUNPHUM EINDIR EPE EMINECINECONSENVTBIONS EFINM ECRM EQ EWWTSP ECONPGOVBN
KFLO KPKO KDEM KFLU KTEX KMDR KPAO KCRM KIDE KN KNNP KG KMCA KZ KJUS KWBG KU KDMR KAWC KCOR KPAL KOMC KTDB KTIA KISL KHIV KHUM KTER KCFE KTFN KS KIRF KTIP KIRC KSCA KICA KIPR KPWR KWMN KE KGIC KGIT KSTC KACT KSEP KFRD KUNR KHLS KCRS KRVC KUWAIT KVPR KSRE KMPI KMRS KNRV KNEI KCIP KSEO KITA KDRG KV KSUM KCUL KPET KBCT KO KSEC KOLY KNAR KGHG KSAF KWNM KNUC KMNP KVIR KPOL KOCI KPIR KLIG KSAC KSTH KNPT KINL KPRP KRIM KICC KIFR KPRV KAWK KFIN KT KVRC KR KHDP KGOV KPOW KTBT KPMI KPOA KRIF KEDEM KFSC KY KGCC KATRINA KWAC KSPR KTBD KBIO KSCI KRCM KNNB KBNC KIMT KCSY KINR KRAD KMFO KCORR KW KDEMSOCI KNEP KFPC KEMPI KBTR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNPP KTTB KTFIN KBTS KCOM KFTN KMOC KOR KDP KPOP KGHA KSLG KMCR KJUST KUM KMSG KHPD KREC KIPRTRD KPREL KEN KCSA KCRIM KGLB KAKA KWWT KUNP KCRN KISLPINR KLFU KUNC KEDU KCMA KREF KPAS KRKO KNNC KLHS KWAK KOC KAPO KTDD KOGL KLAP KECF KCRCM KNDP KSEAO KCIS KISM KREL KISR KISC KKPO KWCR KPFO KUS KX KWCI KRFD KWPG KTRD KH KLSO KEVIN KEANE KACW KWRF KNAO KETTC KTAO KWIR KVCORR KDEMGT KPLS KICT KWGB KIDS KSCS KIRP KSTCPL KDEN KLAB KFLOA KIND KMIG KPPAO KPRO KLEG KGKG KCUM KTTP KWPA KIIP KPEO KICR KNNA KMGT KCROM KMCC KLPM KNNPGM KSIA KSI KWWW KOMS KESS KMCAJO KWN KTDM KDCM KCM KVPRKHLS KENV KCCP KGCN KCEM KEMR KWMNKDEM KNNPPARM KDRM KWIM KJRE KAID KWMM KPAONZ KUAE KTFR KIF KNAP KPSC KSOCI KCWI KAUST KPIN KCHG KLBO KIRCOEXC KI KIRCHOFF KSTT KNPR KDRL KCFC KLTN KPAOKMDRKE KPALAOIS KESO KKOR KSMT KFTFN KTFM KDEMK KPKP KOCM KNN KISLSCUL KFRDSOCIRO KINT KRG KWMNSMIG KSTCC KPAOY KFOR KWPR KSEPCVIS KGIV KSEI KIL KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KQ KEMS KHSL KTNF KPDD KANSOU KKIV KFCE KTTC KGH KNNNP KK KSCT KWNN KAWX KOMCSG KEIM KTSD KFIU KDTB KFGM KACP KWWMN KWAWC KSPA KGICKS KNUP KNNO KISLAO KTPN KSTS KPRM KPALPREL KPO KTLA KCRP KNMP KAWCK KCERS KDUM KEDM KTIALG KWUN KPTS KPEM KMEPI KAWL KHMN KCRO KCMR KPTD KCROR KMPT KTRF KSKN KMAC KUK KIRL KEM KSOC KBTC KOM KINP KDEMAF KTNBT KISK KRM KWBW KBWG KNNPMNUC KNOP KSUP KCOG KNET KWBC KESP KMRD KEBG KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KPWG KOMCCO KRGY KNNF KPROG KJAN KFRED KPOKO KM KWMNCS KMPF KJWC KJU KSMIG KALR KRAL KDGOV KPA KCRMJA KCRI KAYLA KPGOV KRD KNNPCH KFEM KPRD KFAM KALM KIPRETRDKCRM KMPP KADM KRFR KMWN KWRG KTIAPARM KTIAEUN KRDP KLIP KDDEM KTIAIC KWKN KPAD KDM KRCS KWBGSY KEAI KIVP KPAOPREL KUNH KTSC KIPT KNP KJUSTH KGOR KEPREL KHSA KGHGHIV KNNR KOMH KRCIM KWPB KWIC KINF KPER KILS KA KNRG KCSI KFRP KLFLO KFE KNPPIS KQM KQRDQ KERG KPAOPHUM KSUMPHUM KVBL KARIM KOSOVO KNSD KUIR KWHG KWBGXF KWMNU KPBT KKNP KERF KCRT KVIS KWRC KVIP KTFS KMARR KDGR KPAI KDE KTCRE KMPIO KUNRAORC KHOURY KAWS KPAK KOEM KCGC KID KVRP KCPS KIVR KBDS KWOMN KIIC KTFNJA KARZAI KMVP KHJUS KPKOUNSC KMAR KIBL KUNA KSA KIS KJUSAF KDEV KPMO KHIB KIRD KOUYATE KIPRZ KBEM KPAM KDET KPPD KOSCE KJUSKUNR KICCPUR KRMS KWMNPREL KWMJN KREISLER KWM KDHS KRV KPOV KWMNCI KMPL KFLD KWWN KCVM KIMMITT KCASC KOMO KNATO KDDG KHGH KRF KSCAECON KWMEN KRIC
PREL PINR PGOV PHUM PTER PE PREF PARM PBTS PINS PHSA PK PL PM PNAT PHAS PO PROP PGOVE PA PU POLITICAL PPTER POL PALESTINIAN PHUN PIN PAMQ PPA PSEC POLM PBIO PSOE PDEM PAK PF PKAO PGOVPRELMARRMOPS PMIL PV POLITICS PRELS POLICY PRELHA PIRN PINT PGOG PERSONS PRC PEACE PROCESS PRELPGOV PROV PFOV PKK PRE PT PIRF PSI PRL PRELAF PROG PARMP PERL PUNE PREFA PP PGOB PUM PROTECTION PARTIES PRIL PEL PAGE PS PGO PCUL PLUM PIF PGOVENRGCVISMASSEAIDOPRCEWWTBN PMUC PCOR PAS PB PKO PY PKST PTR PRM POUS PRELIZ PGIC PHUMS PAL PNUC PLO PMOPS PHM PGOVBL PBK PELOSI PTE PGOVAU PNR PINSO PRO PLAB PREM PNIR PSOCI PBS PD PHUML PERURENA PKPA PVOV PMAR PHUMCF PUHM PHUH PRELPGOVETTCIRAE PRT PROPERTY PEPFAR PREI POLUN PAR PINSF PREFL PH PREC PPD PING PQL PINSCE PGV PREO PRELUN POV PGOVPHUM PINRES PRES PGOC PINO POTUS PTERE PRELKPAO PRGOV PETR PGOVEAGRKMCAKNARBN PPKO PARLIAMENT PEPR PMIG PTBS PACE PETER PMDL PVIP PKPO POLMIL PTEL PJUS PHUMNI PRELKPAOIZ PGOVPREL POGV PEREZ POWELL PMASS PDOV PARN PG PPOL PGIV PAIGH PBOV PETROL PGPV PGOVL POSTS PSO PRELEU PRELECON PHUMPINS PGOVKCMABN PQM PRELSP PRGO PATTY PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PGVO PROTESTS PRELPLS PKFK PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PARAGRAPH PRELGOV POG PTRD PTERM PBTSAG PHUMKPAL PRELPK PTERPGOV PAO PRIVATIZATION PSCE PPAO PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PARALYMPIC PRUM PKPRP PETERS PAHO PARMS PGREL PINV POINS PHUMPREL POREL PRELNL PHUMPGOV PGOVQL PLAN PRELL PARP PROVE PSOC PDD PRELNP PRELBR PKMN PGKV PUAS PRELTBIOBA PBTSEWWT PTERIS PGOVU PRELGG PHUMPRELPGOV PFOR PEPGOV PRELUNSC PRAM PICES PTERIZ PREK PRELEAGR PRELEUN PHUME PHU PHUMKCRS PRESL PRTER PGOF PARK PGOVSOCI PTERPREL PGOVEAID PGOVPHUMKPAO PINSKISL PREZ PGOVAF PARMEUN PECON PINL POGOV PGOVLO PIERRE PRELPHUM PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PBST PKPAO PHUMHUPPS PGOVPOL PASS PPGOV PROGV PAGR PHALANAGE PARTY PRELID PGOVID PHUMR PHSAQ PINRAMGT PSA PRELM PRELMU PIA PINRPE PBTSRU PARMIR PEDRO PNUK PVPR PINOCHET PAARM PRFE PRELEIN PINF PCI PSEPC PGOVSU PRLE PDIP PHEM PRELB PORG PGGOC POLG POPDC PGOVPM PWMN PDRG PHUMK PINB PRELAL PRER PFIN PNRG PRED POLI PHUMBO PHYTRP PROLIFERATION PHARM PUOS PRHUM PUNR PENA PGOVREL PETRAEUS PGOVKDEM PGOVENRG PHUS PRESIDENT PTERKU PRELKSUMXABN PGOVSI PHUMQHA PKISL PIR PGOVZI PHUMIZNL PKNP PRELEVU PMIN PHIM PHUMBA PUBLIC PHAM PRELKPKO PMR PARTM PPREL PN PROL PDA PGOVECON PKBL PKEAID PERM PRELEZ PRELC PER PHJM PGOVPRELPINRBN PRFL PLN PWBG PNG PHUMA PGOR PHUMPTER POLINT PPEF PKPAL PNNL PMARR PAC PTIA PKDEM PAUL PREG PTERR PTERPRELPARMPGOVPBTSETTCEAIRELTNTC PRELJA POLS PI PNS PAREL PENV PTEROREP PGOVM PINER PBGT PHSAUNSC PTERDJ PRELEAID PARMIN PKIR PLEC PCRM PNET PARR PRELETRD PRELBN PINRTH PREJ PEACEKEEPINGFORCES PEMEX PRELZ PFLP PBPTS PTGOV PREVAL PRELSW PAUM PRF PHUMKDEM PATRICK PGOVKMCAPHUMBN PRELA PNUM PGGV PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PBT PIND PTEP PTERKS PGOVJM PGOT PRELMARR PGOVCU PREV PREFF PRWL PET PROB PRELPHUMP PHUMAF PVTS PRELAFDB PSNR PGOVECONPRELBU PGOVZL PREP PHUMPRELBN PHSAPREL PARCA PGREV PGOVDO PGON PCON PODC PRELOV PHSAK PSHA PGOVGM PRELP POSCE PGOVPTER PHUMRU PINRHU PARMR PGOVTI PPEL PMAT PAN PANAM PGOVBO PRELHRC

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 05SINGAPORE887, SINGAPORE'S OUTREACH TO THE MIDDLE EAST

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #05SINGAPORE887.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05SINGAPORE887 2005-03-23 03:49 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Singapore
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SINGAPORE 000887 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2015 
TAGS: ECON EFIN ETRD ETTC PGOV KTFN PREL PTER SN XD XF XI
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE'S OUTREACH TO THE MIDDLE EAST 
 
 
Classified By: E/P Counselor Laurent Charbonnet, Reasons 1.4(b)(d) 
 
1. (C) Summary: For the past year, the Singapore government 
has talked up a campaign to expand the country's economic and 
political ties with the Middle East.  On the economic front, 
the GOS wants to expand trade and investment beyond its 
traditional partners.  Politically, Singapore seeks to 
diversify its international relationships and earn goodwill 
from its domestic Malay/Muslim minority and its two large, 
Muslim-majority neighbors.  As part of its campaign, 
Singapore is sponsoring an Asia-Middle East dialogue (AMED) 
in June (septel).  Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong has taken on 
personal leadership for these initiatives.  End Summary. 
 
The Middle East: The "Missing Piece" 
------------------------------------ 
 
2. (SBU) Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, who spearheaded 
Singapore's previous initiatives to move beyond ASEAN toward 
India, Europe, and Latin America, is now leading Singapore's 
effort to forge a closer relationship with the Middle East. 
As Prime Minister, Goh visited Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, 
Turkey, Pakistan, and Iran.  As Senior Minister, he recently 
concluded a six-day trip to Saudi Arabia, the first such trip 
in 20 years by a senior Singaporean political official.  Goh 
has called the Middle East the "missing piece" in Singapore's 
external relations, and a region where he aims to devote more 
attention.  In Singapore's highly coordinated government, no 
one person--even Goh--could push through an initiative that 
the government as a whole did not find useful.  Nevertheless, 
Goh clearly is seen as a force pressing a sometimes reluctant 
government bureaucracy and business community on this 
initiative. 
 
Forays into Islamic Banking 
--------------------------- 
 
3. (SBU) Singapore's primary financial goal is to attract 
Middle Eastern wealth to Singapore banks.  As chairman of the 
Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), SM Goh has stated that 
Singapore must tap new markets to maintain its role as a 
leading financial center in Asia.  The Middle East offers 
attractive opportunities for both wealth management and 
capital market activities.  Consequently, Singapore plans to 
introduce Islamic financial products and it will apply to 
become a full member of the Islamic Financial Services Board 
(IFSB), which sets international standards for Islamic 
financial regulators.  MAS also plans to hold a conference on 
Islamic financial services by mid-year; a previously planned 
conference on Islamic banking was canceled in fall 2004 
apparently because of a lack of interest.  Goh and MAS 
officials concede that Singapore will never be a major 
Islamic finance center that can compete with long-established 
Islamic banking systems like Malaysia.  Instead, Singapore is 
modeling itself after London, seeking to be an international 
banking center that offers Islamic financial products along 
with conventional products to foreign investors.  In recent 
years, a number of banks began offering Islamic banking 
products in Singapore, including Citibank, HSBC, OCBC, and 
Deutsche Bank. 
 
4. (SBU) MAS does not plan to change Singapore's regulatory 
framework to encourage Islamic banking.  Individual financial 
institutions will be obliged to hire their own experts in the 
target market to design financial products that comply with 
Islamic law, in part because Singapore does not have a pool 
of experts on the subject.  The Islamic Religious Council of 
Singapore (MUIS) had hoped that Singapore would adopt the 
Malaysian model, with a central, government-mandated 
religious body certifying that all Islamic financial products 
are shariah-compliant, and is disappointed that the GOS has 
decided to leave the question to the market.  MUIS foresees 
limited local interest in Islamic financial products since 
Singapore Muslims are accustomed to using conventional banks, 
says its vice president. 
 
Barriers to Entry 
----------------- 
 
5. (U) As a well-established oil-trading center and 
petro-chemical hub, Singapore is urging Middle Eastern 
companies to use it as their Asia-Pacific axis and gateway to 
the region.  Spurred by Malaysia's success in attracting 
big-spending Arab visitors, the GOS is also promoting 
tourism, especially for medical services.  But Singapore's 
effort to attract Arab tourists and investors is hampered by 
tough visa rules.  The Saudi ambassador in Singapore has 
complained in the press that it is difficult for Saudis to 
get visas due to GOS security concerns.  Goh has promised to 
make it easier for Saudis to get visas, but MFA says the GOS 
cannot compromise on the fundamental issue of security. 
Education is one key sector that Singapore doesn't seem to be 
promoting in the Middle East, despite its effort to become a 
"global schoolhouse."  GOS officials say this is "a sensitive 
issue;" Malaysia and Indonesia might not like the competition 
for Muslim students.  In addition, the GOS may be concerned 
about exposing its population to more conservative Arab 
Muslims. 
Lukewarm Response from Private Sector 
------------------------------------- 
 
6. (U) Singapore is also marketing its expertise in 
infrastructure development, such as ports and airports, 
telecommunications, and e-government, sectors where it faces 
significant competition in the Middle East.  International 
Enterprise Singapore (IE), which is responsible for promoting 
overseas expansion by Singapore firms, notes that many 
Singaporean firms are too small to compete with regional 
corporations or large American and European companies in the 
Middle East.  While IE Singapore is realistic about the 
limited prospects in the region, it has to put together 
business delegations in support of SM Goh's initiative.   The 
GOS is trying to get Singapore businesses to expand beyond 
their traditional base in U.A.E. (home to more than 400 
Singapore companies) by running informational seminars and 
organizing trade delegations to countries like Bahrain, Oman, 
and Turkey.  It is trying to "create a buzz" about the Middle 
East, in the same way it tried to stir up "India fever" in 
the 1990s. 
 
7. (U) Despite a spate of articles in the government-linked 
press about business opportunities in the Middle East, 
Singapore businessmen remain reluctant to invest there.  They 
prefer to focus on China and India, two large, nearby 
economies where they don't face daunting language barriers 
and cultural differences.  They are also put off by the media 
images of violence and upheaval in the region, GOS officials 
note.  Those who do go to the Middle East choose activities 
like franchising, trading, or selling services to avoid 
risking their capital.  One advantage the Middle East has, IE 
officials explain, is the abundance of capital so Singapore 
investors do not have to finance the majority of a project, 
as they do elsewhere. 
 
More FTAs 
--------- 
 
8. (SBU) Having reached the limits of expansion with closer 
trading partners, Singapore is looking further afield.  The 
GOS is attempting to expand its trade relations with the 
Middle East by negotiating FTAs.  In May 2004, Singapore 
signed a free trade agreement and bilateral investment treaty 
with Jordan, its first FTA in the Middle East.  Jordan's 
parliament has not yet ratified the FTA.  Singapore is 
negotiating FTAs with Bahrain, Egypt, and Kuwait.  IE 
officials believe that an important benefit of the 
negotiation process is that it reveals how policy is made in 
a country, and officials get to know their counterparts 
better.  Middle East trade -- 80 percent of it in 
petro-chemical products -- only accounts for 5 percent of 
Singapore's total trade; Ministry of Trade and Industry 
officials do not expect this to increase anytime soon. 
 
A Friend to All 
--------------- 
 
9. (C) Singapore is occasionally criticized domestically and 
regionally for its close relationship with the United States. 
 The GOS, although it values highly those U.S. ties, wishes 
to earn the goodwill of its ethnic Muslim minority and its 
two large Muslim-majority neighbors, Malaysia and Indonesia, 
by forging ties with the Arab world.  MUIS, vice-president 
(protect) said the Islamic council is extremely pleased and 
surprised by the GOS overtures toward the Middle East, 
although they believe the initiative is motivated by a desire 
to make money.  At the same time, the MUIS official said 
Goh's outreach is, in part, an attempt to counter Minister 
Mentor Lee Kwan Yew, whose harsh views of Islam and Muslims 
have antagonized Muslims over the years. 
 
10. (C)  The GOS outreach is also motivated by security 
concerns.  According to a high-level Muslim journalist who 
has traveled with SM Goh to the Middle East,  Singapore's 
leaders are "terrified" of political Islam and the spread of 
Arab-style Islam to Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia. 
 In the past, the GOS tried to counter Wahabiist tendencies 
by urging its Muslim minority to look to Indonesia as a 
model.  But many local Muslims continue to see Saudi Arabia 
as the ideal.  Consequently, the GOS has to deal with Saudi 
Arabia directly to better understand it, according to the 
journalist.  The GOS is carefully promoting political and 
economic reform in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. 
Speaking at the Jeddah Economic Forum, SM Goh explained the 
Singapore model of development, which is based on 
meritocracy, tolerance, honest government, openness to new 
ideas, pragmatism, and developing human resources--including 
women.  Singapore is also sponsoring an Asia-Middle East 
dialogue (AMED) in June (septel). 
 
Expanding Diplomatic Ties 
------------------------- 
 
11. (SBU) In connection with Goh's trip to Saudi Arabia, the 
GOS announced that it will appoint a resident ambassador to 
the kingdom.  The GOS also plans to increase its use of 
non-resident ambassadors based in Singapore to cover the 
Middle East, though it is reluctant to open more missions. 
MFA will soon set up a separate Middle East directorate. 
Most Singapore universities are expanding course offerings on 
Islam and the Middle East, and government leaders are urging 
Singapore's Muslim citizens to study Arabic so they can do 
business in the Middle East. 
 
12. (C) Comment: GOS officials concede that Singapore is 
"very late" in focusing on the Middle East.  They have few 
concrete results to show from their outreach efforts so far, 
although they are still in the early stages.  GOS officials 
admit that they have been given few, if any, targets to reach 
in the Middle East beyond trying to establish footholds 
across the region.  Efforts to establish an Islamic banking 
presence appear similarly modest, as evidenced by the lack of 
corporate interest in last year's aborted Islamic banking 
conference.  SM Goh's personal involvement, however, will 
prevent this GOS initiative from losing momentum, for now. 
While the business prospects appear limited, at least in the 
near term, Singapore will continue to seek opportunities in 
the Middle East, not only to diversify its sources of 
economic wealth, but to enhance its overall security 
interests by fostering warmer ties with, and economic 
development in, Muslim countries, both in the Middle East and 
closer to home.  End Comment. 
LAVIN