Secret Meeting of World’s Leading Intelligence Agencies Held in Singapore: Reuters Report

High-ranking officials – representatives of about 20 of the world’s leading intelligence agencies held a secret meeting in Singapore. This was reported by the agency on June 4, citing five sources. Reuters.

According to media reports, the Singapore government has been discreetly organizing such meetings for several years in parallel to the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit. The meetings of the heads of intelligence are held in a separate place, the article notes.

Reuters emphasizes that these meetings were not previously reported.

The list of participants in the last meeting was not published by the agency, but it was reported that among them was the Director of National Intelligence of the United States, Avril Haynes. Also, despite tense relations between Washington and Beijing, the event was attended by a representative of China (his name is not mentioned), the agency’s interlocutors said.

Another participant whose name appears in the material is Samant Goel, Director of the Research and Analytical Department of Indian Intelligence.

What topics were discussed by intelligence officials is unknown. However, Reuters interlocutors noted that this meeting occupies an important place in the international unspoken agenda. As one of the agency’s sources explained, “given the range of countries involved, this is not a celebration of the craft, but rather a way to promote a deeper understanding of intentions and ultimate goals.”

According to him, there is an unspoken principle among the representatives of the special services, according to which they can negotiate when “more official and open diplomacy is difficult.” This is a very important factor in a period of tension, and the Singapore event contributes to this, the media interlocutor added.