Brunei: THE INAUGURAL ADMM-PLUS EXPERTS’ WORKING GROUP MEETING ON PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

By Siti Diana Othman & Dyg Noor Serena

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND 21 – 23 November 2011 - The 1st ADMM-Plus Experts Working Group Meeting on Peacekeeping Operations (ADMM-Plus EWG PKO) was held in Wellington, New Zealand. The meeting was co-chaired by Brigadier Kevin Riordan, Director-General of Defence Legal Services, New Zealand Defence Force and Colonel Claro C Casis, Commanding Officer of Peacekeeping Operations Center, Armed Forces of the Philippines.

This first formal meeting of the ADMM-Plus EWG PKO featured a seminar on the legal aspects of peacekeeping operations. The objective of the seminar was to introduce legal officers to the expertise and skills necessary for peacekeeping, thereby increasing the capacity of ADMM-Plus member states to contribute to Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs). Participants were exposed to the legal procedures, models and mechanisms that have been adopted by armed forces experienced in PKOs. Among the topics covered were international and national legal regimes applicable to PKOs; perspectives from legal officers on operating in the field; national perspectives on Status of Forces Arrangements/Agreements (SOFA); Laws of Armed Conflict (LOAC) during PKOs; military and police interactions in peace operations; UN Personnel’s privileges and immunities under the UN Model SOFA; discipline, jurisdiction and peacekeeper misconduct during PKOs and challenges and opportunities for ASEAN and ADMM-Plus in PKOs.

The inaugural meeting was attended by the ADMM-Plus countries and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat. Brunei Darussalam was represented by one senior military officer from the Military Legal Unit and civilian officers from the Directorate of Defence Policy and Legal Unit, Ministry of Defence.

Brunei MoD

Sri Lanka: Pakistan Naval Ship “Saif” arrives at the Port of Colombo

Zulfiquar (Sword) class Frigate
Wiki Info

Pakistan Naval Ship “Saif” (FFG-253) arrived at the Port of Colombo on 26th November 2011 on a goodwill visit. The ship was ceremonially welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with naval traditions on her arrival. The ship’s Commanding Officer Captain Muhammad Zubair Shafique called on Director General Naval Operations Rear Admiral Jayantha Perera at the Naval Headquarters. He was accompanied by Pakistan Defence Adviser in Sri Lanka Colonel Sheharyar Parvez Butt.

PNS Saif is a SWORD class frigate with a Z9EC – 20 helicopter, onboard dedicated for ship borne operations. The ship, equipped with the state of the art weapons, sensors and machinery, is the front line ship and potent platform of the Pakistan Navy. It is 123 meters in length and has a displacement of 2688 tons. The ship’s complement consists of 251 naval personnel which includes 29 officers and 222 sailors. The ship is en route from the Port of Karachchi in Pakistan to participate in the Langkavi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2011 (LIMA – 11) held in Malaysia from 06th to 10th December

Sri Lanka Navy

Editorial: China’s U.S. Sub Hunter?

By David Axe

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has a new maritime patrol plane apparently optimized for finding and destroying submarines. But whose submarines? And how effective will it be?

The first pictures of the Y-8F-600 patroller, a derivative of the Soviet-designed An-12 cargo plane, appeared online last week. Sources indicate the PLA has taken possession of two of the patrol planes, apparently for testing. The PLA traditionally builds large numbers of new warplanes only after extensive trials and design changes.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: Is it China’s Turn to Pivot?

By Minxin Pei

The U.S. ambushed and isolated China at the East Asia summit. If China wants to recover it needs to manage its competition with the United States – and not scare its neighbors.

If 2010 was the year China made a series of strategic and tactical moves to strengthen its position in East Asia, 2011 saw the region push back.   

Nobody knows this better than Beijing.  At the recently concluded East Asia Summit in Bali, Indonesia, China was literally ambushed by the United States, which skillfully coordinated a pushback against China’s assertiveness on the South China Sea.  Except for Burma and Cambodia, every other country present at the summit, including Russia, implicitly criticized China’s stance on the South China Sea and called for a multilateral solution, which China has consistently opposed.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

News Story: Raytheon's RACR competes in SKorean F-16 radar procurement

EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA (BNS): Raytheon is responding to the Republic of Korea's official launch of the F-16 radar upgrade competition with the Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar system (RACR).

RACR employs active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology, which Raytheon pioneered for the US Air Force's F-15C and fielded in December 2000.

Read the full story at Brahmand

News Story: Indian, Russian armies to hold joint exercise in Moscow

NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Army personnel will participate in a wargame with their Russian counterparts in a joint exercise to be held close to Moscow's boundary with China and Mongolia next year to increase inter-operability between the two armies.

The fourth round of INDRA series of army-to-army exercise between the two countries will be held in 2012 in Russia.

Read the full story at Brahmand

Editorial: India, China Militaries Go Local

China's J-20

By Christopher Whyte

Fighter technologies have evolved at an impressive rate since the end of the Cold War. In industrial defense establishments across the world, the production and development of relatively cheap and viable versions of fourth generation aircraft continues. Incorporation of modern electronics suites and advanced upgrades have extended the life of such platforms for decades. At the same time, defense corporations and government contracted tech giants are focusing on newer breeds - fifth generation aircraft that boast the latest in stealth technologies, advanced interlinked sensor suites and more.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: India-China Ties Just Got Chillier

By Nitin Gokhale

The cancelation of the latest talks over their disputed border, allegedly due to Chinese pressure on India over the Dalai Lama, is likely to stoke growing tensions.

Clear signs of an approaching chill in India-China relations had been evident for the past couple of months. But the final confirmation that it may have arrived came Friday, when the two sides called off a crucial round of talks on their complicated boundary dispute, just two days before they were to begin in New Delhi.

Although officially both sides maintained that scheduling issues were to blame for the postponement of talks, sources in the Indian establishment said last minute and “unacceptable” demands by Beijing forced New Delhi to call off this round of negotiations.

Both sides have tried to play down the abrupt postponement.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: Chinese Aftershock

By Trefor Moss

Since the midsummer slump in its relations with the Philippines and Vietnam, China has been taking diplomatic steps to repair the damage. Despite nationalistic calls for China to “think ahead and strike first” at Philippine and Vietnamese forces, as the reliably demagogic Global Times tub-thumped back in September, Beijing has been charting a much wiser course. After agreeing a new set of guidelines for implementing the declaration of conduct (DOC) in the South China Sea with ASEAN in July, with a formalized code of conduct still to come, China hosted Philippine President Benigno Aquino for fence-mending talks in early September, and received Vietnamese Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong a month later.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

AUS: Soldiers farewelled to the Solomons

Australian Soldiers disembark from

a Blackhawk Helicopter (file photo)

One hundred and five soldiers, predominately from Queensland’s 11 Brigade have been farewelled by family and friends today at a parade at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville.

The soldiers are deploying to Operation Anode in the Solomon Islands. Operation Anode is the Australian Defence Force contribution to the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator David Feeney, has praised the deploying soldiers and acknowledged their commitment to community and country.

“This current deployment of Reserve soldiers continues Australia’s commitment to the development and security of the Solomon Islands,” Senator Feeney said.

“Our soldiers epitomise many of the values that the Australian community holds dear.

“The most prominent one is their commitment to serving their country by getting in there and making a positive difference to their community and more broadly to the international community,” Senator Feeney said.

“We are extremely proud of the Reservists deploying today.

“These fine young men and women supported their community during the recent natural disasters in Queensland and now they are deploying in service of their country,” Senator Feeney said.

“They are a credit to our nation,” the Senator said.

The purpose of RAMSI is to assist the Solomon Islands Government in restoring law and order and economic governance.

The military component of RAMSI is comprised of personnel from four troop-contributing nations: Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga.

AUS DoD