BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Tuesday, 26 August 2014 – The Technical Workshop on Establishing A Direct Communications Link in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Process convenes today at The Centrepoint Hotel, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam. This three-day Workshop was officiated by Colonel (Rtd) Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Azmansham Pengiran Haji Mohamad, Permanent Secretary (Defence Policy and Development), Ministry of Defence, Brunei Darussalam.
Participants are from the ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Secretariat, as well as various departments and units from both the Ministry of Defence of Brunei Darussalam and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Brunei Darussalam.
The convening of this Technical Workshop is the first step in the developing arrangement phase of the initiative on establishing a direct communications link in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ meeting.
The Concept Paper of the initiative was adopted by the ASEAN Defence Ministers during their Eight Meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on 20 may 2014. The defence ministers have also expressed their full support for the full implementation of establishing a direct communications link by the 9th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in 2015 in Malaysia.
This initiative is aimed at providing a permanent, rapid, reliable and confidential means by which any two ASEAN Defence Ministers may communicate with each other to arrive at mutual decisions in handling crisis or emergency situations, in particular related to maritime security, with the objectives to prevent or defuse misunderstandings and misinterpretations, and therefore to prevent escalation; and to promote quick-response cooperation in emergency situations.
The goal would not be to resolve underlying issues, but to effectively manage and contain tensions in the event of a possible military encounter, to foster de-escalation, and to provide channel for initial quick reaction and assistance in emergency situations.
It has been a valuable process so far, ever since during the last year’s ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Brunei Darussalam when it started to evolve, where the ASEAN Defence Ministers have responded to the call made by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, in His Majesty’s capacity as the Chairman of the 22nd ASEAN Summit, in supporting the idea of putting in place practical procedures, which could assist in avoiding undesired incidents at sea.
The main objectives of the technical Workshop are to discuss, and come up with the operational concept of the direct communications link; to discuss, and come up with the technical and technological parameters of the communications systems of the direct communications link; and to discuss on the way forward: beyond the technical workshop.
During this Workshop, practitioners and expertise are invited, from Singapore, Australia, China, India, the United States, the United Kingdom and South Africa, to share their experience and expertise in their respective field of expertise in the panel discussions session.
Tomorrow begins the Closed Sessions, where the ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Secretariat will only be involved.
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