Bush, Singapore P.M. agree on pact

WASHINGTON, July 12 (UPI) -- President Bush and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong Tuesday agreed to sign a security agreement between the two countries.

Bush originally negotiated the "Strategic Framework Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Singapore for a Closer Cooperation Partnership in Defense and Security" with Lee's predecessor in 2003.

The two leaders held a brief news conference after their White House meeting.

"It (the agreement) builds on a very sound relationship and broadens and deepens it further," Lee said. "It enables us to focus more on anti-terrorism, on anti-WMD proliferation, as well as on other aspects of our relationship -- defense technology cooperation, military cooperation between our armed forces, and strategic and security exchanges. "

Bush described Singapore as a country "with an interesting position in the Far East" and praised the prime minister as a "strategic thinker."