New defence link with Singapore

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp will sign a new agreement on defence co-operation with the Singapore Government in Singapore tomorrow.

Dr Mapp left this morning for a two-day official Defence visit to Singapore.

He will go on to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual regional defence diplomacy forum attended by 27 countries over the weekend, and the biennial Five Power Defence Arrangements meeting of Defence Ministers in Malaysia early next week.

The Singapore and New Zealand Arrangement on Defence Co-operation, to be signed by Dr Mapp and Singaporean Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean, sets out key principles of the defence relationship between the two countries.

Dr Mapp said that Singapore is a close friend and valued defence partner of New Zealand.

"Over the years we have built an excellent working relationship and this step will take that to a new level.

"The Arrangement is a framework for the two countries to work together. We already have many valuable defence interactions - joint exercises, staff visits, reciprocal training and other professional exchanges. The Arrangement will encourage new areas of co-operation," he said.

"New Zealand and Singapore have had a close economic, foreign policy and defence relationship ever since the establishment of Singapore as a sovereign state, and prior to that. This new agreement will further cement those relationships."