By Izma Rahem Zani
SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA, Thursday 26 April 2012 - Following their Meeting yesterday, the ASEAN defence senior officials met their counterparts from the dialogue countries today at the ASEAN Defence Senior Officals’ Meeting-Plus (ADSOM-Plus).
During the Meeting, senior officials exchanged views on regional and international security and defence issues. Most of them expressed concern on non-traditional security challenges, including terrorism, maritime security, piracy, infectious diseases and natural disasters. In that regard, they stressed the importance of cooperation within and outside ASEAN in dealing with these issues.
The Meeting was also encouraged by the progress of the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Groups (EWG), namely, Maritime Security, Military Medicine, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Peacekeeping Operations and Counter-Terrorism, which is moving towards practical cooperation. Most of these EWGs have scheduled its first Field Tactical Exercise (FTX) in 2013.
Earlier, the ADSOM-Plus Leaders had made a Courtesy Call on The Honourable General Tea Banh, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Brunei Darussalam was represented by Haji Awang Saifulbahri Haji Awang Mansor, Permanent Secretary (Defence Policy and Development), Ministry of Defence, Brunei Darussalam.