SINGAPORE - Visiting Australian Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana on Tuesday (Sept 22), during which the two leaders reaffirmed the excellent bilateral ties between their countries.
Sir Peter, who arrived on Monday for a four-day state visit, and Mr Lee also discussed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) agreement, which was signed by the two countries in June, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The CSP is a broad-ranging agreement to boost cooperation across multiple fields, including economics and trade, defence and security, foreign affairs and at the people-to-people level.
During the meeting, Sir Peter expressed his appreciation for Singapore's support for the New Colombo Plan, which was launched in 2013 and offers Australian undergraduates scholarships and grants to study in Asian countries, including Singapore.
The two leaders discussed global and regional developments such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group.
Earlier on Tuesday, Sir Peter was hosted to lunch by the Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen.
He also visited the four koalas on loan from Australia at the Singapore Zoo. He was accompanied by his wife Lynne and children from the Avondale Grammar School in Singapore.
On Monday, Sir Peter paid a courtesy call on President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the Istana. Dr Tan then hosted a state banquet in honour of the Governor-General.
