Speeches

U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement: Highlights and Insights

Ambassador Frank Lavin's Remarks at the IPS Book Launch, Raffles City Convention Center

April 16, 2004

Remarks

Thank you, Tommy. I’m happy to be here with my good friends, Ambassador Tommy Koh and Minister of State Vivian Balakrishnan, to launch this wonderful book.

While the title of the book is certainly appropriate – the “US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement: Highlights and Insights” – I’m not sure it captures the true flavor of the negotiations. Perhaps a title like “The Prata and Burger Deal” might sell more books, although I recall that pizza, not burgers, was what our Singapore friends served up sometime after midnight as the FTA was being finalized. But history will likely judge your choice of titles as more dignified and better suited to a serious examination of the FTA.

Let me say a few words about the FTA and then a few words about the negotiations. In terms of the FTA, many non-trade experts do not appreciate the extent to which the US-Singapore FTA is groundbreaking. Not only is it the first US FTA in Asia, but it is also the most comprehensive FTA the U.S. has ever undertaken, and in terms of economic impact, it is our largest since NAFTA. The breadth of subjects covered, and the extent of the commitments, is trailblazing, and has set the standard for future FTAs now being negotiated.

So the US-Singapore FTA sets out a template for others in this region, which was the formalized as U.S. policy by President Bush in the Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative. Already we see the fruits of that Initiative in the launch last year of negotiations for a US-Thailand FTA.

Now a word about the negotiations. This FTA involves a vast number of decision makers – in government ministries, regulatory agencies, business, and in the legislative and judicial branches – all of whom have their own interests and insights, and all of whom have to be brought on board to get an agreement like this in place.

Tommy Koh led that process for Singapore, and deserves great respect for his work in consciousness raising and consensus building to produce a result that we can all be proud of. This took an enormous amount of work – especially on issues like negative lists and IPR standards– and it is fitting that the book memorializes this.

In the same fashion, the U.S. side was championed by people such as Ralph Ives, who led the negotiations, and by our Trade Representative Bob Zoellick, who coordinated the broader U.S. Government effort. My own role was modest, but I am honored to be here today in recognition of the work of others.

Finally, the good news for those of us who contributed to this work is that we will benefit from the strengthened IPR provisions, our royalties are protected. So think twice before you head out to make photocopies of this book, or put it up on the Internet. And Tommy, if this book is ever sold for movie rights, your income will be protected. Whether a movie is ever made of this work or note, this is a useful book that commemorates an important step ahead for both our nations.

I join Ambassador Desker and Minister Balakrishnan in saluting all the contributors and applauding Tommy Koh for leading this effort.

Thank you.