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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