ASEAN defence forces explore opportunities to cooperate
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 14 November 2007 1657
hrs
SINGAPORE : There has been growing mutual trust and confidence
among ASEAN defence establishments, said Singapore Defence Minister
Teo Chee Hean.
Opening the second ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting in the
city-state on Wednesday, Mr Teo added that the defence sector must
continue to respond to evolving strategic developments as the
group's future is increasingly intertwined with the fate of the
larger Asia Pacific region.
ASEAN defence forces have been interacting for many years now
through joint exercises and the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting
will pave the way for more cooperation as transnational threats
like terrorism, piracy, natural disasters and infectious diseases
remain high on the security agenda.
Mr Teo said the meeting will also provide a much needed platform
for an open and constructive dialogue. He added that the progress
of the group's defence sector parallels the exciting changes in
ASEAN as a whole.
The gathering of ASEAN's defence ministers is significant on many
fronts. Mr Teo said it not only plays an important role in
enhancing regional peace and security, but also ensures that the
defence sector remains actively engaged and plugged into the
external environment, in view of globalisation
He said: "ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting must aspire to be a
useful component in the regional security architecture that is
robust, effective and inclusive.
"It is therefore imperative for the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting
to look at forging practical cooperation to address transnational
security issues and in shaping the evolving regional security
architecture."
The defence ministers, who called on Singapore Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong earlier, are expected to endorse three key documents at
the meeting, which will lay out plans for future meetings and how
to engage defence forces outside of Southeast Asia.
They will also commit to the realisation of the ASEAN Security
Community by 2015, which is part of a vision to integrate the
10-member bloc. - CNA /ls
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