JAKARTA, May 19 (Bernama) — The Asean Defence Ministers Meeting
today adopted Malaysia”s concept paper on Asean Defence Industry Collaboration
and Indonesia”s concept paper on Peacekeeping Centres Network.
The meeting also adopted a three-year work programme from 2011, covering
cooperation in maritime security, peacekeeping operations, military
medicine, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and counter terrorism.
Five expert working groups have been established to oversee the cooperation
and for consultations.
The adoption of the concept papers were part of the 14-point Joint
Declaration of the Asean Defence Ministers on Strengthening Defence Cooperation
of Asean in the Global Community to Face New Challenges signed by the
10 member countries at the end of the meeting.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the adoption of the
concept paper on Asean Defence Industry Cooperation, first mooted at the meeting
in Thailand in 2009, was a significant achievement for Malaysia.
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“The concept paper envisions the framework for defence industry
collaboration among Asean members that will pave the way for a robust
and unified defence industry within Asean.
“This collaboration is expected to contribute towards Asean defence
capability development with a lessening of dependence on foreign production and
expertise,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid said that Asean countries now spend US25 billion a year to buy
defence assets. With the collaboration, they hope that the amount could be
reduced gradually to US$12.5 billion a year through the development of their
own defence industry.
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The Asean Peacekeeping Centres Network is to expand and strengthen links
between peacekeeping centres in the region.
The meeting also reaffirmed the commitment of Asean members to implement
fully the declaration on the conduct of parties in the South China Sea.
The declaration said the members were committed to working towards the
adoption of a code of conduct in the South China Sea to promote peace and
stability in the region.
— BERNAMA
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