S`PORE-M`SIA RELATIONS WARMER UNDER ABDULLAH

SINGAPORE, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- Singapore's relations with Malaysia have
improved considerably under Malaysian Prime Minister abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the
republic's Parliament was told today.

Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo said, although some
bilateral issues had yet to be settled between the two countries such as the
maritime boundaries, relations between both nations were warm.

Speaking at a budget debate, he said that last November, Malaysian Foreign
Minister Dr Rais Yatim hosted the Singapore delegation for the Wisma Putra
(Malaysian Foreign Ministry)-Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Games in
Malaysia's southern Johor state with great warmth.

With the judgement of the ICJ (International Court of Justice), our
bilateral dispute over sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Batu Puteh) has been
resolved, but to be sure, to neither side's complete satisfaction," said Yeo.

He said maritime boundaries around Pedra Branca were, however, yet to be
delineated.

Singapore hoped to do this expeditiously through the Malaysia-Singapore
Joint Technical Committee in a constructive spirit, the minister said.

The minister also said, with the current economic crisis, it was all the
more important for the two countries to cooperate for mutual benefit.
-- BERNAMA