BEYOND THE HANDSHAKE: SINGAPORE'S FOREIGN SERVICE

From independence in 1965, Singapore has experienced a meteoric rise to a modern developed city-state. What is less known is the part played by its foreign policy or by the men and women who contributed to its implementation and success. Here, several of Singapore's senior diplomats and Ambassadors tell in their own words, how they did their work, their experiences, their achievements and the challenges that they faced in promoting and safeguarding Singapore's strategic security and economic interests.

Contents:

• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• Preface
• List of Contributors
• The Early Years:
  • Advancing Singapore's Security and Strategic Interests (V K Rajan)
  • Seizing Strategic Opportunities for Singapore — The Quick, The Slow and The Missed (T Jasudasen)
  • What Do Diplomats Do? (Bilahari Kausikan)
  • For Whom the Ambassadors Toil? (Lee Chiong Giam)
• Baptism of Fire:
  • A Lifetime Serving Singapore (Seetoh Hoy Cheng)
  • Promoting Singapore's Political, Economic, Security and Strategic Interests in Its Relations with Thailand and Australia (Tan Seng Chye)
  • Observing Strategic and Security Issues — Diplomat on the Frontline (Mushahid Ali)
• ASEAN and Singapore:
  • Working at the ASEAN Level (Ong Keng Yong)
• Our Global Reach:
  • Japan and Singapore: Growing Ties (Tan Chin Tiong)
  • A Diplomatic Crisis (R Raj Kumar)
  • Reflections on My Career in the Foreign Service (Robert Chua)
  • Doing Due Diligence for Singapore's 'Excellence' (Tan York Chor)
  • Working for Singapore's Strategic and Security Interests Abroad (Christopher Cheang)
  • The Kingdom and the Crown in the 21st Century (Lawrence Anderson)
  • Building Bridges to Brazil (Tan Lian Choo)
  • Rwanda — Mutual Cooperation from the Singapore Model (Yatiman Yusof)
• The Foreign Service in the 21st Century:
  • Three Projects in India — Navigating the Labyrinth (Ajit Singh)
  • Singapore–New Zealand Air Talks: Off to a Flying Start (Bernard Baker)
  • Re-Examining the Human Rights Issue in ASEAN (Barry Desker)
  • My Journey as a Peacemaker (Tommy Koh)
• Postscript: What Makes Foreign Policy Work Beyond the Handshake:
  • A Career in Diplomacy (A Selverajah)

Readership: General readers interested in Singapore's foreign service from the perspective of senior diplomats and ambassadors.

Key Features:

• The book contains a rich collection of essays and reflections written by two generations of Singapore's senior diplomats who worked tirelessly to protect Singapore's interests and establish its place in the world
• Based on their vast experiences in foreign affairs, the contributors tell fascinating, candid, first-hand accounts of how they witnessed important historical moments, navigated complex diplomatic issues, their successes and at times missed opportunities, while representing Singapore on the international stage
• Written in a highly engaging and readable manner, the book is also accessible for the general reader, or anyone who is interested in Singapore
• The book will appeal especially to the next generation of policymakers, researchers, and students learning about Singapore's diplomatic history and foreign policy, and the art of diplomacy