Foreign Minister George Yeo, who discussed the issue with his Malaysian counterpart earlier this month, said talks would continue. Malaysia has proposed replacing the one-kilometer (0.6-mile) causeway linking the two countries over the Straits of Johor with a new bridge, but the two sides have yet to agree on how to do it.

"We agreed that the bilateral negotiations should not go on forever," Yeo said in Parliament of talks with Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid.

"Syed Hamid and I have asked our officials to narrow the differences, and where this is not possible, crystallize the issues" so that leaders can make a "political decision," Yeo said.

More than 100,000 people cross the 80-year-old causeway daily, and Malaysia says a new bridge would ease congestion and boost the flow of traffic.

"Singapore can agree to Malaysia's proposal to replace the causeway with a new bridge only if there is a balance of benefits on both sides," Yeo said. "Only then can the considerable costs involved in building our side of a new bridge be justified."

The project had been part of an earlier deal that included contentious talks on Malaysia's supply of water to Singapore and other bilateral matters, but negotiations stopped in 2002 without a resolution.

Singapore and Malaysia believe they "should not allow these old issues to hold future cooperation hostage," Yeo said.

The two countries have a history of diplomatic spats, but have close economic and cultural ties.

                                                      Home