Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh led the Vietnamese delegation toattend the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting Plus 2015(ADSOM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on February 14.
Besides defence officials from the ten ASEAN countries, the eventalso gathered delegates from the ASEAN Secretariat and the bloc’spartners of Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic ofKorea, Russia and the US.
Delegates heardreports of the ASEAN Secretariat on the recent developments of ASEAN,the results of the ADSOM-Plus Working Group held in Malaysia’s Johorstate on January 24, and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) DefenceOfficials’ Dialogue in Malacca from November 30-December 1, 2014.
They discussed the joint statement of the third ASEAN DefenceMinisters’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), and regional and internationalissues of mutual concern.
Speaking at themeeting, Deputy Defence Minister Vinh highlighted the importance of theADMM-Plus cooperation mechanism at a time when ASEAN is preparing toform the ASEAN Community at the end of this year, and when more and moretraditional and nontraditional security challenges are emerging,requires concerted efforts of many countries to deal with them.
He suggested ADMM-Plus members intensify result-oriented cooperationand show their consensus, sincerity and the sense of of responsibilityto ensure peace and stability in Asia-Pacific and the world at large inthe interests of each country.
He informed themeeting that Vietnam has sent its liaison officers to participate in UNpeacekeeping missions in South Sudan and will dispatch staff personnelto the Central African Republic. The country is also preparing to set upa field military hospital and assign sappers to join in the UNpeacekeeping forces.
The joint Vietnam-Indiaexpert group has launched the Humanitarian Mine Action Initiativeproposed by Vietnam and the two countries will hold a joint drill indemining activities, he added.
During the event, delegates also exchanged opinions on the settlement of recent disputes.
The head of the Chinese delegation said China hopes regionalcountries abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the EastSea (DOC) and work towards a Code of Conduct on the East Sea (COC).
Japanese Deputy Minister of Defence Hideshi Tokuchiproposed setting up a hotline with China to deal with maritimedisputes.
The Indonesian delegation headLieutenant General Yoedhi Swastanto called on regional nations tostrictly follow the DOC, set up hotlines to directly deal with disputes,and work together towards the formation of the COC.
The US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for South and SoutheastAsia, Amy Searight expressed concern about some law violations at sea inthe region recently and affirmed support of the settlement of disputesthrough dialogue. The representative also called on all countries withinterests in the East Sea to behave in accordance to international law,the DOC and work towards the COC.
On thesidelines of the meeting, Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh had abilateral meeting with the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence AmySearight, during which both sides proposed and discussed directions forfuture cooperation.-VNA
Besides defence officials from the ten ASEAN countries, the eventalso gathered delegates from the ASEAN Secretariat and the bloc’spartners of Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic ofKorea, Russia and the US.
Delegates heardreports of the ASEAN Secretariat on the recent developments of ASEAN,the results of the ADSOM-Plus Working Group held in Malaysia’s Johorstate on January 24, and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) DefenceOfficials’ Dialogue in Malacca from November 30-December 1, 2014.
They discussed the joint statement of the third ASEAN DefenceMinisters’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), and regional and internationalissues of mutual concern.
Speaking at themeeting, Deputy Defence Minister Vinh highlighted the importance of theADMM-Plus cooperation mechanism at a time when ASEAN is preparing toform the ASEAN Community at the end of this year, and when more and moretraditional and nontraditional security challenges are emerging,requires concerted efforts of many countries to deal with them.
He suggested ADMM-Plus members intensify result-oriented cooperationand show their consensus, sincerity and the sense of of responsibilityto ensure peace and stability in Asia-Pacific and the world at large inthe interests of each country.
He informed themeeting that Vietnam has sent its liaison officers to participate in UNpeacekeeping missions in South Sudan and will dispatch staff personnelto the Central African Republic. The country is also preparing to set upa field military hospital and assign sappers to join in the UNpeacekeeping forces.
The joint Vietnam-Indiaexpert group has launched the Humanitarian Mine Action Initiativeproposed by Vietnam and the two countries will hold a joint drill indemining activities, he added.
During the event, delegates also exchanged opinions on the settlement of recent disputes.
The head of the Chinese delegation said China hopes regionalcountries abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the EastSea (DOC) and work towards a Code of Conduct on the East Sea (COC).
Japanese Deputy Minister of Defence Hideshi Tokuchiproposed setting up a hotline with China to deal with maritimedisputes.
The Indonesian delegation headLieutenant General Yoedhi Swastanto called on regional nations tostrictly follow the DOC, set up hotlines to directly deal with disputes,and work together towards the formation of the COC.
The US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for South and SoutheastAsia, Amy Searight expressed concern about some law violations at sea inthe region recently and affirmed support of the settlement of disputesthrough dialogue. The representative also called on all countries withinterests in the East Sea to behave in accordance to international law,the DOC and work towards the COC.
On thesidelines of the meeting, Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh had abilateral meeting with the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence AmySearight, during which both sides proposed and discussed directions forfuture cooperation.-VNA
