Publication Date : 29-08-2013
Prevailing regional and international defence and security issues were extensively discussed by Asean Defence Ministers and the Asean Deputy Secretary General during the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) Retreat yesterday.
A statement issued by the Defence Ministry (MinDef) pointed out that Ministers had also underlined the importance of defence cooperation in building an Asean Political-Security Community by 2015 and beyond.
Unwavering in their commitment onto the matter, the ministers reiterated in their commitment to address these challenges collectively through cooperation in the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) mechanisms.
The Ministers agreed to continue working on addressing non-traditional security challenges such as in the area of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) and maritime security, noted the statement.
The statement further mentioned that the ministers retreat also focused on how to further develop and enhance the ADMM and ADMM-Plus process with suggestions for this to be steered towards new areas that need to be explored such as cyber security, and look into the synergy between defence and security cooperation.
MinDef also noted that the Ministers also agreed to enhance confidence building measures by developing practical measures, such as open lines of communications, "to reduce miscalculations and misunderstanding, particularly with regard to incidents at sea".
Ministers viewed that growing military-to-military relations remains the main thrust of defence cooperation, said MinDef.
They agreed that interactions at all levels would further foster a sense of belonging, reaffirm commitment towards shared responsibility and embed a regional identity. The Ministers further noted Brunei Darussalam's intention to host a defence dialogue for young defence and military officials.
The Ministers also stressed on the importance of Asean centrality in driving the ADMM process. In this regard, Ministers agreed to stock take the progress of the ADMM especially in light of the 10th anniversary of the ADMM in 2015, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Meanwhile the third Asean-US Defence Ministers Informal Meeting also took place yesterday, chaired by the Energy Minister and attended by US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel alongside other Asean Defence Ministers.
At the informal meeting, Asean Defence Ministers welcomed the US engagement in the region and expressed appreciation on its contribution to the ADMM-Plus. Both sides exchanged views on the overall regional security and defence issues including strategic relations in the region, according to MinDef.
They reaffirmed their commitment to maintain peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region. In this regard, the Ministers reiterated the ADMM-Plus as the platform to strengthen their defence cooperation and engagement.