Family visits Nguyen in prison

SYDNEY - A condemned Australian drug runner was visited in a Singaporean prison by his family yesterday as hopes faded of stopping his execution.

Frantic legal and diplomatic moves are under way in a last-ditch attempt to keep Nguyen Tuong Van from the hangman's noose at dawn on Friday next week.

But the Australian Government has ruled out threatening economic sanctions against its eighth largest trading partner. Supporters and politicians appeared resigned that options had been exhausted.

Nguyen has been in jail since he was caught at Changi Airport smuggling 396g of heroin from Cambodia en route to Australia in 2002.

In Singapore anything above 15g is presumed to be trafficking and attracts a mandatory death sentence.

Nguyen became a drug mule in a foolhardy attempt to raise enough money to pay off his twin brother Khoa's A$30,000 debts.

Yesterday they came face-to-face - via a glass partition at Changi - for the first time since Nguyen's arrest.

Khoa travelled to Singapore with their mother, Kim.

They visited for about an hour, accompanied by staff from the Australian High Commission. It was expected to be the first of daily visits leading up to the execution.

The Australian Government is seeking legal advice on taking the case to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, but will require the agreement of Singapore to do so.

Human rights lawyer Tim Robertson said only trade sanctions could now change Singapore's stance.

Prime Minister John Howard, who is backing a merger between Qantas and Singapore Airlines, has ruled out sanctions.

Howard said it would be wrong to give the family false hope.

"I am sorry to have to say this [but] I do not believe the Government of Singapore will change its decision."

Last night a spokesman for Amnesty International - which is spearheading the bid to save Nguyen - admitted prospects were bleak.

"We know Singapore's record and that they in the past have carried out the executions they have said they will."