News Story: Multinational peacekeeping exercise launched in Nepal

KATHMANDU, March 20 (Xinhua)-- A multinational peacekeeping exercise with the participation of 1,024 peacekeeper trainers and cadets from 28 countries started in Nepal Monday, the Nepalese Army said.

Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated the two-week long training, which is named Shanti Prayas-III' and aimed at enhancing peacekeeping capabilities.

Jointly organized by the Nepalese Army and US Pacific Command, the exercise is taking place at Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre in Panchkhal of Kavre District.

Addressing the program, the prime minister said that the UN peacekeepers are the vanguard and one of the key tools of the international community to restore peace and security in the conflict-torn areas.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: U.S. Navy commander arrives in Nepal for three-day visit

Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr
(Image: Wiki Commons)

KATHMANDU, March 19 (Xinhua) --The U.S. Pacific Command Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr. arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday for a three-day visit.

Admiral Harris will attend the Multinational Peacekeeping Exercise "Shanti Prayas-III", which is going to be jointly organized by the Nepalese Army and the U.S. Pacific Command at Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre in Panchkhal of Kavre District of Nepal from March 20 to April 3.

The Multinational Peacekeeping Exercise "Shanti Prayas-III", with the participants from 28 countries, is aimed at enhancing peacekeeping capabilities, Directorate of the Public Relations of the Nepalese Army said in a press release.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Interpol president, incoming UN chief meet on cooperation

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- President of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) Meng Hongwei met with incoming UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday to discuss cooperation on global security.

Meng congratulated Guterres on becoming the next UN secretary-general and stressed that the Interpol will support him to fulfill his responsibilities as the UN chief.

Meng said the Interpol is willing to enhance strategic communication with the UN on major issues concerning global security and stands ready to work with the UN to maintain international security and stability.

Read the full story at Xinhua

AUS: Australia hosts sixth meeting of the ADMM-Plus Working Group on Counter-Terrorism

From 6 to 8 December 2016, Australia hosted defence officials from across our region at the sixth meeting of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism in Sydney.

The Deputy Special Operations Commander Australia said the meeting allowed regional military officials to discuss the shared threat of international terrorism as it continues to evolve.

“Delegates discussed regional terrorism issues such as returning foreign terrorist fighters, the relationship between organised crime and terrorism and how we can work together practically to meet these threats,” the Deputy Commander said.

Australia and Singapore have co-chaired the Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism since 2014. The meeting was the last to take place in our co-chair period.

Thailand and China will take over as the co-chairs of the Experts’ Working Group from 2017 to 2020.

The 2016 Defence White Paper highlights the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus as Australia’s priority for defence engagement with multilateral security frameworks in the Indo-Pacific.

Australia and Indonesia will co-chair the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations from 2017-2020.

AUS DoD

AUS: Chief of the Defence Force hosts top level Indonesian military contingent

The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, and senior Australian Defence Force officers hosted their Indonesian counterparts during a high level military engagement in Canberra yesterday.

On his first visit to Australia as the Indonesian National Armed Forces Commander, General Gatot Nurmantyo was accompanied by seven senior Indonesian military representatives.

Air Chief Marshal Binskin said the size of delegations demonstrated the commitment to strengthening people-to-people links between Indonesia and Australia.

“We value our friendship with Indonesia and recognise that strong peer-to-peer relationships across our respective defence forces are an important factor in maintaining mutual trust and cooperation.”

General Nurmantyo and Air Chief Marshal Binskin also signed a Joint Statement on Defence Cooperation.

News Story: China trains UN military observers

BEIJING, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- A training course for UN international military observers organized by China's Ministry of National Defense (MND) started in Beijing Monday.

The course has enrolled 42 participants from 31 countries across five continents, including China, Australia, Denmark, Nigeria and Mexico.

The three-week course will be in English, covering topics such as peacekeeping activities, civilian protection, intercultural communication, investigation and negotiation.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: New Zealand military training U.S. troops for Middle East peacekeeping

Image: Wiki Commons

WELLINGTON, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand military has been training the United States troops for peacekeeping duties in the Sinai Peninsula, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) revealed on Wednesday.

Four NZDF instructors had just completed a 10-day course for more than 200 U.S. troops at Fort Bliss in Texas, said a statement from the NZDF.

The course gave the U.S. soldiers an overview of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), an independent international organization with peacekeeping responsibilities in Sinai.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: China, Bangladesh vow to boost military exchange, cooperation

DHAKA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- China and Bangladesh vowed here Sunday to further boost exchange and cooperation between the two militaries.

The pledge came after Chang Wanquan, China's defense minister, met with Bangladesh's Chief of Army Staff General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Hug, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Nizamuddin Ahmed and Chief of Air Staff Marshal Abu Esrar respectively.

The visiting Chinese defense minister said the cooperation in the sectors of politics, economy and trade, and culture between the two sides have scored great achievements since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1975.

Cultivated and pushed by the leaders of the two countries, the development of the military ties between the two countries has maintained good momentum with cooperation in all fields further deepening, Chang said.

Read the full story at Xinhua

AUS: Australia and Thailand co-host Indo-Pacific Regional Peacekeeping Exercise

Australia and Thailand are co-hosting a peacekeeping exercise involving over 100 participants from the Indo–Pacific region from 9-20 May 2016 in Bangsaen, Thailand.

Commander Australian Defence College, Major General Simone Wilkie, who is in Thailand to open PIRAP JABIRU 2016, said the exercise is a fantastic opportunity to bring together representatives from 22 Indo-Pacific militaries, police forces, and non-governmental organisations to consider the current issues facing peacekeepers and to identify strategies to meet the future challenges.

“The true value of the PIRAP JABIRU series is that it enables participants to develop a much deeper understanding of contemporary multi-dimensional UN Missions and most importantly how we can work together to achieve optimal results,” MAJGEN Wilkie said.

MAJGEN Wilkie also said that Exercise PIRAP JABIRU 2016 provides the Australian Defence Force and international attendees with the opportunity to consider the evolving nature of peace operations and help to maintain successful regional collaboration in the future.

Brunei: Exercise 'Keris Aman Capstone 2015' Concludes

PORT DICKSON MALAYSIA, Monday, 24 August 2015 – Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs) exercise code named ‘KERIS AMAN CAPSTONE 2015’, hosted by the Malaysian Armed Forces in cooperation with the United States Pacific Command’s (USPACOM) Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) program, ended today with a closing ceremony held in the Sebatang Karah Auditorium, Segenting Camp, Port Dickson.

The closing ceremony was officiated by the Chief of Defence Force of the Malaysian Armed Forces, General Tan Sri Dato' Sri (Dr.) Zulkifeli bin Mohd Zin as the guest of honour who also presented  completion certificates to participating nations.

This exercise which began from 11 August 2015 is an annual multinational PKOs exercise which aims to develop and maintain capability, capacity and effectiveness of PKOs. This year’s exercise involves a total of 1,026 military and civilian personnel from 29 participating nations.

Editorial: A First - China Sends Troops to US-Mongolia-Led Khaan Quest Exercise

By Ankit Panda

For the first time, China is sending People’s Liberation Army troops to exercise Khaan Quest.

For the first time ever, China has sent People’s Liberation Army troops to Exercise Khaan Quest, a multinational ground forces peacekeeping drill designed to boost military-to-military interoperability, hosted by Mongolia. The exercise is cosponsored with the United States Pacific Command (PACOM). Khaan Quest was first established in 2003.

China’s participation in Khaan Quest 2015 is notably not being heavily publicized in the Chinese press. Xinhua ran a brief article noting that this was China’s first time sending troops to the exercise, and many other press outlets have been largely silent on the matter. Other major multinational exercises, including the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), have drawn considerably more attention from the Chinese press.

Around 300 U.S. personnel, from the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, will participate in the exercise, along with 600 Mongolian Armed Forces troops. U.S. and Mongolian troops will comprise the majority of the roughly 1,200 military personnel from 25 countries scheduled to participate or observe this year’s exercise. The complete list of participants, per U.S. PACOM, includes “Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, Czech, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, ROK, Singapore, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, UK, and Vietnam.”

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: China - The World’s New Peacekeeper?

By Emma Campbell-Mohn

Contributing to peacekeeping operations is helping Beijing to build a global presence.

While Americans recognize China’s rapid rise as an economic powerhouse, the implications remain murky. According to a 2014 Gallup poll, most people unfavorably view China as the world’s leading economic power. Indeed, twenty percent of Americans viewed China, not Iran, as America’s top enemy in 2014. When discussing China, Americans think of its 13.39 trillion GDP (2013 est.), expansion into the South China Sea or human rights abuses.

Yet China’s global influence is expanding in surprising ways. China is the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations of all the permanent members of the UN Security Council. China’s rise in peacekeeping operations is indicative of China’s rise in global prominence by both expanding its role in foreign affairs and protecting its own economic interests.

China currently contributes 2181 police, military experts and troops to UN Peacekeeping missions –seventeen times more than the U.S. contribution. These peacekeeping forces are scattered around the world located in areas ranging from Mali to Lebanon to Cyprus according to data collected in 2013. It ranks 13th among countries dedicating troops to peacekeeping missions. 

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: US and Vietnam - From Foes to Friends

By Pham Quang Vinh

Vietnam’s new ambassador to the United States reflects on the state of the U.S.-Vietnam relationship.

People who doubt that bitter foes can become good friends should look at the United States and Vietnam.

When I served on Vietnam’s delegation to the United Nations, from 1987 through 1990, I found most Americans warm and friendly, even though many Americans, understandably, could not look beyond the legacy of war.

But, in 1995, the U.S. and Vietnam established diplomatic relations. Now, as the Ambassador of Vietnam to the U.S., I find Americans focused on the future and what we can accomplish together, from creating jobs through trade to building mutual understanding through education.

As for the  Vietnamese – a youthful people whose median age is under 30 – we are also eager to move ahead. During a 1,200-mile bicycle ride across our country in the late 1990s, Ted Osius, now U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, feared that he might encounter hostility upon arrival at an old demilitarized zone. Instead, he was welcomed by a woman who told him, “We are now brothers and sisters.” 

Read the full story at The Diplomat

AUS: Meeting with Vietnam’s Vice Minister of National Defence

Today I (Minister for Defence: Kevin Andrews) met with Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Vice Minister for National Defence of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Senior Lieutenant General Vinh also attended the Australia-Vietnam Joint Ministerial Meeting, co-chaired by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who is visiting Australia along with a number of senior Vietnamese ministers.

During my meeting with Senior Lieutenant General Vinh, we discussed Australia’s defence cooperation with Vietnam. Our defence relationship currently focuses on education and training, English language training, peacekeeping cooperation, Special Forces cooperation and maritime security cooperation.

Also today, Senior Lieutenant General Vinh and Australia’s Major General John Frewen, Acting Vice Chief of the Defence Force, signed an Implementing Arrangement for peacekeeping cooperation between Australia and Vietnam.

Australia and Vietnam are exploring how to expand peacekeeping cooperation in light of Vietnam’s inaugural peacekeeping deployment to the United Nations missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

This was my first meeting with Senior Lieutenant General Vinh and it was a valuable exchange on the growing defence cooperation between Australia and Vietnam.

AUS DoD

Editorial: Malaysian Peacekeepers Could Face Toughest Challenge Yet

By Prashanth Parameswaran

The country’s armed forces chief signals rough road ahead for peace monitors.

As a new batch of Malaysian peace monitors prepare to be deployed to the southern Philippines amid an imperiled peace process between the government and Muslim rebels, they are being warned that they may face their toughest test yet.

Speaking at the sending-off ceremony for the Malaysian members of the new International Monitoring Team-Mindanao 10 (IMT-M10), which will take over from the current team beginning March 14, Chief of Defense Force of the Malaysian Armed Forces General Zulkifeli Mohamad Zin warned that the personnel could face some challenges due to spoilers looking to disrupt the ongoing peace process.

“This is a critical time, as the peace process is nearing its conclusion, there are many detractors who may try to derail and sabotage the peace process,” he said according to the Malaysian newspaper New Straits Times (NST). 

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: Malaysia Wants an ASEAN Peacekeeping Force

By Prashanth Parameswaran

The country has made the initiative a priority for its ASEAN chairmanship in 2015.

Earlier this week, Malaysian defense minister Hishammuddin Hussein reiterated his country’s desire to establish an ASEAN peacekeeping force as the chair of the grouping this year.

According to the Malaysian newspaper The Star, in an address to the defense ministry before beginning his visits to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, Hishammuddin said that he is in the process of visiting every one of the nine other ASEAN countries and that one of the things he would discuss would be the formation of an ASEAN peacekeeping force.

Seasoned ASEAN observers know that the idea of an ASEAN peacekeeping force is nothing new and has been around for years. Nor is it a purely Malaysian idea – other Southeast Asian countries and ASEAN bigwigs have also supported it the past. As I have noted in an earlier piece, Malaysia is merely reviving an old initiative now when it has the rare privilege of holding both the ASEAN chair as well as a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. 

Read the full story at The Diplomat

AUS: Minister Andrews welcomes the Mongolian Vice Minister of Defense, Mr Avirmid Battur

The Hon. Kevin Andrews today welcomed Mr Avirmid Battur, Mongolian Vice Minister of Defense, to Canberra as part of his official visit to Australia from 8-11 February 2015.

Minister Andrews said Australia and Mongolia’s shared interest in the maintenance of regional peace and stability lends itself to a cooperative bilateral defence relationship.

“We welcomed the opportunity to discuss proposals for future engagement, including in educational and professional exchanges, as well as in further developing peacekeeping cooperation,” Mr Andrews said.

Vice Minister Battur’s program includes meetings with the Hon. Stuart Robert MP, Assistant Minister for Defence, Mr Dennis Richardson, Secretary of the Department of Defence, and Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, Acting Chief of the Defence Force.

Brunei: ASEAN Defense Senior Officials' Meeting Working Group Plus (ADSOM-PLUS WG)

JOHOR BAHRU, MALAYSIA Saturday, 24 January 2015 – The ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting Working Group Plus (ADSOM-Plus WG) was held at the Pulai Spring Resort, Johor Bahru, Malaysia today. Chairing the meeting was Dr. Jafri bin Abdul Jalil, Undersecretary, Policy and Strategic Planning Division, Ministry of Defence, Malaysia. The Head of Delegation from Brunei Darussalam was Haji Adi Ihram bin Dato Paduka Haji Mahmud, Acting Director of Defence Policy, Ministry of Defence as the Brunei Darussalam’s ADSOM-Plus WG Leader, and accompanied by research officers from the Directorate of Defence Policy.

The Meeting briefed on the progress and achievements of the ADMM-Plus platform, notably the six Experts’ Working Groups (EWGs) – EWG on Counter Terrorism, EWG on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, EWG on Humanitarian Mine Action, EWG on Maritime Security, EWG on Military Medicine, and EWG on Peacekeeping Operations.

Brunei Darussalam and New Zealand, as the co-chair of the EWG on Maritime Security, reported on its development towards contributing and promoting practical maritime security cooperation, capacity building and enhancing interoperability among ADMM-Plus Member States.

News Story: Japan Plans Law To Speed Up Overseas Deployment Of Troops

TOKYO – Japan plans to draw up a law to speed the deployment of troops overseas for peacekeeping operations and to support allies, reports said Sunday, in a move that could strain relations with neighbors wary about Japan's wartime history.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government and his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) plan to draw bills early next year aimed at facilitating administrative processes to deploy Japanese troops abroad, the leading business daily Nikkei and other media reported.

The move would overwrite the past practice of ad-hoc legislation each time Japanese Self-Defense Forces were deployed abroad, except in UN peacekeeping operations and in emergencies in Japan's neighborhood — cases for which Japan already has permanent laws.

The bills would govern the dispatch of Japanese troops overseas in logistical support of multinational forces or key ally the United States.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

AUS: Australia enhances defence relationship with Fiji

The Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs returned from a visit to Fiji today, the first visit from a senior Australian military representative in some years.

The visit was an important step towards re-establishing a substantive defence relationship between Australia and Fiji, and will form the basis of a new partnership between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF).

This is the first time a senior ADF representative has visited Fiji since 2006, and was timely for both countries to discuss working together in the defence context.

“I was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss broad priorities for defence cooperation with my Fijian counterparts, including our shared perspectives on regional and global security issues. Fiji is one of the largest countries in the Pacific region, and the RFMF has been an important partner for the ADF,” VADM Griggs said.