Former US president Bill Clinton will lead a high-level White House delegation to Singapore to attend the funeral of Mr Lee Kuan Yew this Sunday.
The delegation will include the US ambassador to Singapore Kirk Wagar, former US ambassador to Singapore Steven Green and the former assistant to the president for national security affairs Thomas Donilon.
Notable American statesman Henry Kissinger, who had close friendship with Mr Lee, will also make the trip.
All members of the delegation have strong ties to Asia. Mr Donilon was a strong advocate for the Obama administration’s pivot to Asia.
Secretary of State John Kerry had said in a speech earlier on Wednesday that the US would be sending a high-level delegation to Singapore because Mr Lee “was deeply pro-American and deeply involved with the United States and much of our strategic thinking through that time.”
Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken was also at the Singapore embassy to pen a condolence message for Mr Lee.
“He was a great man, a great leader and a great friend to the United States and we will miss his wise counsel, we will miss his voice, we will miss his vision,” he told reporters.
“We are also grateful because thanks to his labour, the foundation between our countries, the relationship between our countries is extraordinarily strong and it will endure forever and that is a wonderful legacy.”
Source: www.straitstimes.com
