SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong paid respects to Dr Henry Kissinger at a memorial service on Jan 25, saying it was his “privilege and honour” to have known the late American diplomat.

“It was with great sadness that Ho Ching and I bid a final farewell to former US secretary of state, Dr Henry Kissinger, at his memorial service in New York.

“We offered our heartfelt condolences to Mrs Nancy Kissinger and their family,” said PM Lee in a Facebook post on Jan 26. 

Dr Kissinger, who was a national security adviser and secretary of state under two United States presidents, died at his home in Connecticut on Nov 29, 2023. He was 100.

PM Lee said Dr Kissinger was “a great statesman who left a lasting mark on the world”.

“He was a close friend of Singapore, and a dear friend of mine and my father’s,” said PM Lee, who is in New York City for a working visit from Jan 24 to Jan 27.

“Over the years, I have benefited from Dr Kissinger’s wise counsel, incisive insights and curiosity about the world,” he added.

PM Lee’s father, the late Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, and Dr Kissinger first met in the 1960s at Harvard University, and they maintained a friendship over the years.

In 2015, Dr Kissinger travelled to Singapore to attend Mr Lee’s state funeral.

PM Lee said he admired Dr Kissinger’s “conviction in the US’ responsibility to maintain peace and stability in the world, and his lifelong drive to continue learning, including about cutting edge issues like AI (artificial intelligence)”.

“He will be remembered and respected for his strategic foresight and wisdom.

“It was my privilege and honour to have known him,” said PM Lee.