Singapore says Taiwan training camps not closed

SINGAPORE (AFP) May 22, 2003
Singapore has temporarily suspended its overseas military training program in Taiwan as a precaution against SARS but has not shut down its facilities there, the defence ministry said here Thursday.

"We have not closed our training camps in Taiwan," a spokeswoman for the ministry told AFP, to clarify a report that the camps had been closed.

"We have temporarily suspended some of our overseas training as an extra precautionary measure, including those in Taiwan," she added.

Singapore's trade representative to Taiwan Ker Sin Tze said in Taipei on Wednesday that because of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndromeepidemic, Taipei has asked Singaporean servicemen "not to come here."

"The training programs have temporarily been suspended," Ker said after a ceremony at the foreign ministry, where he donated protective gear including face masks, waterproof gowns and two thermo-imaging systems to help Taipei's battle against SARS.

Ker said the training programs would be restored pending the control of the global SARS epidemic.

Because of its limited territory, Singapore trains its national servicemen as well as regular armed forces personnel in several countries.

WAR.WIRE