Germany for speedy conclusion of proposed EU-S'pore FTA
This was in view of the non-conclusion of the Doha round of talks, which has been going on for the past 10 years.
Speaking at the 31st Singapore Lecture, the German Chancellor, Dr Angela Merkel, hoped that the EU-Singapore FTA would spur even greater levels of cooperation between German and Singapore companies which are working closely in the areas of research and development and scientific matters.
She said: "Singapore and
Germany are pinning their hopes on an open economy and free trade. So we are convinced on our side that there should be a speedy completion of the Doha round, the world trade round because that is the most reliable pre-condition for growth.
"So it is really a pity that after ten years we have not been able to complete this round and it is a very bumpy road. There are only a few metres or few miles yet to go but whether we are able to muster the strength to cover that distance is still not clear."
Despite this and the global financial crisis of 2009, Singapore-Germany trade volume has increased. Some 1,200 German companies are active here and investments from Germany amount to nearly S$14 billion.
Regarding the best person for the top job at the International Monetary Fund, Dr Merkel said her country backs French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde for the job, but is not opposed to a non-European in future.
She said: "What's important is that the best possible candidate ought to become the head of these important global institutions. It's a much more open issue as to how you decide. Since the IMF is very deeply involved in the Euro matter, there could be good reasons for not saying right away a European candidate is out of the question.
"If you look at the personality, Christine Lagarde, as a finance minister, enjoys an excellent reputation worldwide and in many ways, she is an ideal embodiment of economic experience and political experience."
Dr Merkel also sees opportunities for German educational institutions to work closely with the Nanyang Technological University.
And one area which is being explored is an electro-mobility centre between the research institutions of both countries.
She said: "We ought to be partners in trying to manage our resources more efficiently and I think mobility, electro-mobility is something that is most interesting not only for us but also for you here in Singapore.
"We shall earmark a sizeable one billion euros from 2011 to 2013 for research and development in this area and Singapore is a strong partner in this area."
Another area of interest is Germany's decision to phase out the use of nuclear power.
She said: "Phasing out more rapidly already shows that we already had taken the basic decision to use nuclear power only as a bridging technology. What we were debating was whether we have a period of ten years or a longer period of time available to phase out nuclear energy."
Dr Merkel also believes that Singapore can play a key role in enhancing ASEAN's effectiveness.
Turning to reports that Myanmar has expressed interest to chair ASEAN, Dr Merkel said Germany is concerned about this development. It expects a clear commitment to human rights from the ASEAN member states.
Dr Merkel's lecture was attended by some 600 people, from top CEOs and politicians to student leaders.
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