BAGAN, MYANMAR, Wednesday, 19 November 2014 – At the sideline of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat (ADMM Retreat), an ASEAN-Japan Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting took place at the Aureum Palace Hotels and Resorts Bagan. The Informal Meeting was co-chaired by His Excellency Lieutenant General Wai Lwin, Minister of Defence, Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and His Excellency Akinori Eto, Minister of Defence, Japan.
During the Informal Meeting, the Ministers exchanged views on possible prospects of future defence cooperation between ASEAN and Japan, and discussed the various types of non-traditional security threats that are currently affecting the region. The ASEAN Defence Ministers welcomed and commended Japan’s active engagement with the ASEAN Member States in contributing to the peace and stability in the region, and emphasized on the importance of having a strong and cohesive ASEAN, where they reiterated the significant of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) process as one of the platforms to enhance their defence cooperation with dialogue partners, including Japan. His Execellency Akinori stated that Japan maintains its support towards the principle of ASEAN centrality, and will continue to work closely with the ASEAN Member States through the ADMM-Plus to further advance defence cooperation.
ASEAN and Japan have achieved close relations since 1973, and have achieved significant progress in the areas of political-security, economic-finance and socio-cultural. Last year in 2013, ASEAN and Japan have reached its 40th Anniversary of Friendship and Cooperation, and celebrated the momentous occasion by holding the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit in December 2013 in Tokyo, Japan. His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam co-hosted the Summit with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. ASEAN and Japan will continue to enhance their partnership on political and security cooperation through dialogues and consultation, which includes ministerial meetings, senior officials and experts meetings, as well as the broader ASEAN-led architecture such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS).
Representing His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzadin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam is Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Awang Haji Mohammad Yasmin Haji Umar, Minister of Energy at the Prime Minister’s Office, and accompanied by His Excellency Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Pahlawan Colonel (Rtd) Dato Paduka Haji Abdu’r Rahmani Dato Paduka Haji Basir, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to Myanmar, as well as Haji Azhar Haji Ahmad, Acting Permanent Secretary (Finance and Administration), Ministry of Defence and Abu Sufian Haji Ali, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Defence Policy and Development), Ministry of Defence.