CHRISTOPHER LINGLE, THE 47-YEAR-OLD ATLANTA ECONOMIST WHO WAS ORDERED LAST WEEK TO PAY SINGAPORE’S FORMER PREMIER LEE KUAN YEW $70,000 IN LIBEL DAMAGES FOR WRITING AN ARTICLE ATTACKING THE CITY-STATE’S JUDICIARY, TOLD GLOBALFAX IN AN E-MAIL MESSAGE THAT HE WANTS THE DECISION HEARD BEFORE A COURT IN GEORGIA.

“I AM NOT SURPRISED BY THE SINGAPORE JUDGE’S RULING,” HE SAID.  “I GUESS THE COURTS DIDN’T SEE THE IRONY IN THE JUDGMENT AGAINST ME.  AS FAR AS I CAN SEE IT, THE JUDGMENT VINDICATES ME AND SUPPORTS THE CRITICISM THAT SINGAPORE’S RULERS USE A COMPLIANT JUDICIARY TO BANKRUPT THEIR CRITICS — WHETHER THEY ARE THE POLITICAL OPPOSITION OR THE NEWS MEDIA OR FOREIGN NATIONALS.

“I WOULD LIKE TO ISSUE A CHALLENGE TO MR. LEE TO HAVE HIS SINGAPOREAN JUDGMENT HEARD BEFORE A COURT HERE IN GEORGIA.  I LOOK FORWARD TO MY DAY IN AN IMPARTIAL COURT IN WHICH THE JUDGE HAS NOT BEEN APPOINTED BY MR. LEE’S GOVERNMENT AND DOES NOT OWE ANY POLITICAL ALLEGIANCE TO MR. LEE.”

DR. LINGLE’S MESSAGE INDICATED THAT HE WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH THE ORDER.  “I UNDERSTAND THAT U.S. COURTS WILL NOT ENFORCE A FOREIGN JUDGMENT FROM A SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT PROVIDE IMPARTIAL TRIBUNALS OR DUE PROCESS OF LAW,” HE SAID.  “I WOULD LIKE NOTHING MORE THAN TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW BEFORE AN UNPREJUDICED COURT THAT MR. LEE’S MANIPULATION OF SINGAPORE’S COURTS INTERFERES WITH THE CARRIAGE OF JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF LAW.”

MR. LEE SUED DR. LINGLE, A FORMER SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY LECTURER, FOR UNSPECIFIED DAMAGES OVER AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE IN OCTOBER 1994.

DR. LINGLE IS CURRENTLY A VISITING SCHOLAR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS AT EMORY UNIVERSITY.  HE RECENTLY COMPLETED HIS FIRST BOOK ENTITLED, SINGAPORE’S  AUTHORITARIAN CAPITALISM, AND HE WILL ATTEND A BOOK SIGNING AT BARNES & NOBLE IN ALPHARETTA FRIDAY, APRIL 26, AT 7 P.M.

HE MAY BE REACHED AT (770) 497-0160; FAX, (770) 772-0397.

THE PROVINCE OF BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA’S LARGEST PROVINCE, AND THE STATE OF GEORGIA WILL ENTER INTO A FORMAL RELATIONSHIP MONDAY, APRIL 15, WHEN OFFICIALS SIGN AN AGREEMENT TO COOPERATE IN THE EXCHANGE OF TECHNOLOGY, AND TO PROMOTE TRADE, INVESTMENT AND TOURISM BETWEEN THEM.

BUENOS AIRES’ GOVERNOR, EDUARDO A. DUHALDE, AND GOV. ZELL MILLER WILL ATTEND A CEREMONY DURING WHICH THEY WILL SIGN THE AGREEMENT AT THE STATE CAPITOL AT 10:15 A.M.

ARGENTINA’S CAPITAL, BUENOS AIRES, IS LOCATED IN THE PROVINCE OF BUENOS AIRES, WHICH IS LARGER THAN ITALY AND HAS A DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AGREEMENT, CALL THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF ARGENTINA AT (404) 880-0805.