Your Excellency

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

The Government and people of Singapore extend a warm welcome to you, Mr President, and members of your distinguished delegation. Your visit to Singapore, the first by a Venezuelan Head of State, is a milestone in our bilateral relations. It reflects our mutual desire to promote better understanding, dialogue and cooperation with each other and our respective regions.

Though Singapore and Venezuela enjoy friendly relations, the people of our countries are not familiar with each other. For example, if asked which is the most popular sport in Venezuela, most Singaporeans would say soccer instead of baseball. Nevertheless, for those who love baseball, as I know that Your Excellency does, names like Edgardo Alfonso of the New York Mets and Luis Sojo of the New York Yankees are all too familiar. Many native sons of Venezuela have become baseball legends, like Luis Aparicio, the Hall of Fame Chicago White Sox shortstop. These names do not resonate in Singapore because Singaporeans follow soccer more avidly.

The general lack of knowledge of each other’s country and region is due to geographical, historical, cultural and language reasons. However, the world has now shrunk because of rapid technological advances, particularly in telecommunications, information technology and transport. We should take full advantage of these developments to increase bilateral interactions in as many fields as possible, for mutual benefit.

One major area we can focus on is our economic links. As governments, we can put out the right signals and encourage our respective business communities to explore opportunities in each other’s country. In this regard, I am pleased that Your Excellency has brought a delegation of prominent businessmen to Singapore. Information on the business environment in Venezuela is not readily available in Singapore. Your visit will raise awareness of Venezuela in Singapore. The business seminar on Venezuela this morning is a good start. I hope you will send more business delegations to Singapore.

Your Excellency

All countries depend on open and secure regional and global environments for their growth and development. Venezuela has contributed significantly to peace and security in the Latin American region. As one of the original Friends of Haiti, Venezuela was instrumental in restoring peace to Haiti, and continues to play a key role in ensuring a sustained peace there. Venezuela has also been an active and constructive member of the United Nations, taking a leading role in the UN Conference on the Law of the Sea, and hosting the Third UN Conference in Caracas. Our two countries should continue to work together in the UN and other international forums.

Venezuela has entrenched its contribution to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) process with the "Arria Formula", named after Venezuela’s former Permanent Representative Diego Arria. This is an informal mechanism to allow non-Security Council members, personalities, organisations, and institutions to make representations to the Security Council. The "Arria Formula" has contributed significantly to increasing the transparency in the work of the Security Council. Singapore will be running for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the period of 2001-2002. Venezuela and Singapore could work together to strengthen the institution of the UN Security Council.

With the world today being driven by the forces of globalisation, it is essential for all countries to work together in this new environment to achieve growth and prosperity. The East Asia-Latin America Forum has been established to link our two regions and bridge the gap that has hitherto existed between the countries of our two regions. Singapore looks forward to working with Venezuela to strengthen the EALAF process.

Singapore values its friendship with Venezuela. Your Excellency’s visit will serve to accelerate the momentum in our bilateral relationship. I am confident that the 21^st century will see the emergence of a stronger relationship between our two countries and regions.

Excellencies

Ladies and Gentlemen

May I invite you to rise, as I propose a toast :

• to the good health and success of His Excellency, President Hugo Chavez Frias, and
• to continued prosperity for the people of Venezuela.

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