Japan, Russia hold first diplomatic-defence talks

Google – AFP, 2 November 2013

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (L) borrows a pen from Defence Minister 

Sergei Shoigu during a joint news conference at the Iikura Guesthouse of the Foreign 

Ministry in Tokyo on November 2, 2013 (Pool/AFP, Kimimasa Mayama)

Tokyo — The foreign and defence ministers of Japan and Russia agreed Saturday to cooperate in fighting terrorism and piracy as the neighbours, still at odds over territorial woes, held an unprecedented security dialogue.

Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera held a so-called "2+2" meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu at the government's guest house in Tokyo.

It was the first such diplomatic-defence talks between the two countries, which remain at odds over the sovereignty of a cluster of windswept islands to Japan's north and Russia's far east.

During the one-day meeting, the two sides agreed to carry out joint drills between Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force and the Russian Navy designed to combat terrorists and pirates, the ministers said.

They also agreed to launch "Japan-Russia cyber-security talks" while stepping up other security and defence talks, including ministerial meetings, their joint statement said.

"We got off to a good start by turning to a new chapter of the Japanese and Russian relationship," Kishida told a joint news conference.

"Pushing for cooperation in the security sector will help enhance the entire relationship between Japan and Russia, which will have a good impact on negotiations on signing a peace treaty," he said.

Despite an important commercial relationship that is now much influenced by Japan's need to buy fossil fuels and Russia's desire to sell them, the two neighbours have failed to sign a peace treaty due to their territorial dispute.

The islands, which Japan calls the Northern Territories, but Russia administers as the Southern Kurils, were seized by Soviet troops as World War II thundered to a close.

Lavrov said Saturday's meeting also covered regional concerns, including the Korean peninsula issue, territorial disputes, drug trafficking and borderless crimes.

"We confirmed that our close cooperation in settling these issues will meet the interest of the two countries," the Russian foreign minister said.

But Kishida stressed that their bilateral dialogue did not intend to single out one particular issue or a country, adding the Japan-US security alliance is still the cornerstone of Tokyo's diplomacy.

Four separate meetings have taken place between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the past six months, an unusual frequency for such high-level exchanges.

The affable tone stands in marked contrast to the the state of relations between Japan and China.

Asia's two largest economies are at diplomatic loggerheads over the sovereignty of a chain of islands in the East China Sea. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Abe have not met for a formal sit-down since either came to power.

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US navy destroyer rescues Iranian boat from Somali pirates

Rescue in which 15 suspects were detained comes just days after Tehran warned the US to keep its warships out of the Gulf

guardian.co.uk, Associated Press, Friday 6 January 2012

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said: 'This
is an incredible story'. Photograph: AP

A US navy destroyer has rescued an Iranian fishing boat that had been commandeered by suspected pirates just days after Tehran warned America to keep its warships out of the Gulf.

US forces flying off the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd responded to a distress call from the Iranian vessel, the Al Molai, which had been held captive for more than 40 days, the US navy said Friday. The Kidd was sailing in the Arabian sea, after leaving the Gulf, when it came to the sailors' aid.

A US navy team boarded the ship Thursday and detained 15 suspected Somali pirates. They had been holding the 13-member Iranian crew hostage and were using the boat as a "mother ship" for pirating operations in the Gulf.

Amid escalating tensions with Tehran, the Obama administration reveled in delivering the news.

"This is an incredible story. This is a great story," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, explaining that the very same American ships Iran protested against for recently travelling through the Strait of Hormuz were responsible for the Iranian vessel's recovery.

"They were obviously very grateful to be rescued from these pirates," Nuland said.

The episode occurred after a week of hostile rhetoric from Iranian leaders, including a statement by Iran's army chief that American vessels are no longer welcome in the Gulf. Iran also warned it could block the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway that carries to market much of the oil pumped in the Middle East.

The Iranian threats, which were brushed aside by the Obama administration, were in response to strong economic sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear enrichment program. Last week, president Barack Obama signed into law new sanctions targeting Iran's central bank and its ability to sell petroleum abroad.

According to the navy, the Kidd was part of the USS John C Stennis Carrier Strike Group, which had recently left the Gulf through the strait and into the northern Arabian sea.

A navy search-and-seizure team was taken by helicopter from the Kidd to the Al Molai and met no resistance from the pirates, who surrendered quickly.

"The Al Molai had been taken over by pirates for roughly the last 40-45 days," said Josh Schminsky, a Navy Criminal Investigative Service agent aboard the Kidd. "They were held hostage, with limited rations, and we believe were forced against their will to assist the pirates with other piracy operations."

Schminsky said the Iranian boat's captain thanked the US for assistance. "He was afraid that without our help, they could have been there for months," Schminsky said in a prepared release.

The US team gave the crew food, water and medical care. Nuland said the crew then returned the Iranians to their fishing vessels "and they went on their way."

The captured pirates remain on the Stennis while the US considers options for prosecution and consults with other nations that have joined forces against piracy.

"Sadly, this is not a new thing," she told reporters, citing more than 1,000 pirates picked up at sea who are under prosecution in some 20 countries. "So this is always a question of where to send them and who will do the prosecution."

Asked if the rescue mission could provide a chance for a thaw in relations with Iran, Nuland declined to comment. She said the navy had made a "humanitarian gesture" to take the Iranians onboard, feed them and ensure they were in good health before setting them off. She said the US and Iranian governments have had no direct contact over the incident.

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China asks Indonesia to maintain ASEAN regional security

Beijing (ANTARA News) - China has asked Indonesia to jointly step up security in ASEAN region, especially during the global financial crisis which led to a significant change in the field of security and defense.

"The global financial crisis has a negative impact on a number of countries, including those in East Asia, and has changed the security situation in East Asia and ASEAN," Chinese Military and Science Academy(AMS) spokesman Lt Gn Liu Chengjun said in a China-ASEAN Defense dialog here on Monday.

Present in the dialog were among others Indonesian Defense Ministry`s Strategic Environmental Analysis director Brig Gen Subekti, Indonesian Defense Attache in Beijing Col Infantry Yayat Sudrajat, and a number of ASEAN and Chinese military officials.

Chengjun said the global crisis had already caused social conflicts and regional instability.

In addition, he said several terrorist activities and separatism, cross border crime such as piracy, and human trafficking would probably escalate.

"Therefore, China and Indonesia, including ASEAN should have a joint security system," he said.

To maintain peace and security in the region, he said China would like to be Indonesia and ASEAN partner as good neighbors.

"China has so far built a strong foundation in defense cooperation with ASEAN and it would continue to be developed in the future," he said, adding that every year China had a defense consultation mechanism with Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore.

In addition, China also had a defense cooperation agreement with Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore, and strategic cooperation with Thailand.

Indonesia sends warship to help secure Somali waters

www.chinaview.cn, 2009-03-20 16:49:41

JAKARTA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia on Friday sent a warship to support maintaining security in the waters of Somali following the rampant piracy there, Indonesian Military Commander General Djoko Santoso said here.

"The participation has been coordinated with the United Nation," Santoso said during the deployment of the ship here in Jakarta.

The Indonesian warship would join 14 foreign warships, which have been securing the Somali waters now, the Antara news agency reported.

These warships are from Japan, the United States, India, Russia, European Union and others.

Somalia's offshore waters are highly prone to piracy. The international maritime bureau reported that at least 24 attacks had taken place in the region between April and June this year.

Somalian armed groups had held hostage 10 ships recently and asked for a ransom to be paid at Eyl, a former fishery port in the country.

Japan's defence ministry hosts first-ever security meeting with ASEAN

By Channel News Asia's Japan Bureau Chief Michiyo Ishida | Posted: 17 March 2009 1941 hrs

TOKYO: Japan's Defence Ministry has hosted its first-ever security meeting with senior counterparts from ASEAN. This is considered a breakthrough as security issues between Japan and some ASEAN countries have been regarded as highly sensitive because of its wartime past.

Security cooperation was top of the agenda during the meeting. One such area is the fight against piracy in Somalia, where Malaysia and Japan have already deployed their military vessels.

Singapore is planning to send a Landing Ship Tank with two Super Puma helicopters to the Gulf of Aden for three months this year.

On peacekeeping operations, participants called for Japan to be involved in the region's capacity-building efforts.

Japanese Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Ryota Takeda, said: "Our country would like to further develop cooperative bilateral and multilateral relationships with each member of ASEAN.

"We are also determined to contribute to further development of regional cooperation with major players in the region, including the United States."

Two years ago, Japan upgraded its defence agency to a ministry and for the first time, it positioned international cooperation as one of its major roles.

This new framework is an attempt to show that Japan is willing to take on new security challenges. But the move is viewed as controversial to some countries which have experienced Japan's wartime aggression.

Japan has dismissed speculation that it is hosting the meeting to compete with another superpower in the region, China. The country's defence officials and their ASEAN counterparts are expected to meet regularly under the new framework.

- CNA/so

Indonesia invites India to join maintaining security in Malacca Strait

www.chinaview.cn  2009-03-05 15:57:10     

JAKARTA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia has asked India to take part in maintaining security in the Malacca Strait, Antara News Wire reported on Thursday. 

"We are discussing various possibilities to optimize security in the Malacca Strait, including inviting several countries with an interest in shipping in the strait or countries directly bordering the strait to take part in securing it," Maj. General Supiadin, operations assistant to the Indonesian Armed Force Commander, said here. 

The participation of India in the Malacca Strait patrols would be very positive as then all approaches to the strait will be more secure for international shipping, he said.

The strait constitutes a shipping lane between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and links three of the world's most populous countries, namely India, Indonesia and China. 

Over 50,000 ships sail through the Malacca Strait every year transporting around one fifth or a quarter of the world's maritime trade cargoes. 

Since July 2004, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have established cooperation to maintain security in the Malacca Strait. The trilateral coordinated patrol scheme is codenamed MALSINDO Malacca Straits Coordinated Patrols.

Thai to join RI patrolling Malacca Strait

The Jakarta Post  |  Thu, 03/05/2009 7:22 PM   

Thailand will in mid 2009 formalize its involvement in the coordinated patrols in the Malacca Strait which are so far being conducted by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. 

Thailand had unofficially participated in the Malacca Strait patrols since two months ago, Major General Supiadin, operation assistant to the commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) said in Jakarta as quoted by Anatara news agency on Thursday. 

"The Thai involvement will be formalized in the middle of this year, after all matters concerning Thailand's participation in the Malacca Strait patrols are fully discussed internally and externally together with Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore," he said. 

Matters which needed to be clarified included the number of fleets and the patrol areas of the Thai military for the coordinated patrols of Malacca Strait, he said. 

Limited military budget of Thailand and Indonesia which have been affected by the current global economic crisis, was also being considered, he said. 

In a recent meeting with the TNI Chief, the commander of the Thai Military Defense Forces had expressed readiness to be involved in the Malacca Strait patrols officially. 

The idea to involve Thailand in the Malacca Strait coordinated patrols raised by Indonesia in a meeting held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in August 2005. 

However, due to the political situation in Thailand, it was decided to give an observer status to Thailand. 

The Malacca Strait is bordered by Rondo Island and Pukhet in the north and Karimun island and Tanjung Piai in the south, with a total length of 500 miles or 926 kilometers. 

Since July 2004, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have established cooperation to maintain security in the Malacca Strait. 

The trilateral coordinated patrol scheme is codenamed MALSINDO Malacca Straits Coordinated Patrols. 

Since the joint patrols began to be carried out, the crime rate in the 500-mile long strait has decreased by about 70 percent. 

The control points of the coordinated patrols are at Belawan and Batam (Indonesia), Lumut (Malaysia), and Changi (Singapore). The control point will also include Pukhet (Thailand) when Thailand officially joins the coordinate patrols. 

South Korea and Australia announce security pact

The Jakarta Post, The Associated Press, Canberra | Thu, 03/05/2009 1:21 PM  

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak receives military honors on his arrival to Canberra, Australia, Thursday. Lee is on a three-day visit to Australia. AP/Daniel Munoz

Australia and South Korea announced Thursday a new joint security cooperation pact - as North Korea reportedly moves ahead with plans to test-fire a long-range missile. 

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the new statement on closer defense and security relations on Thursday in a joint press conference in the national capital, Canberra. 

Rudd called on North Korea to halt "threatening language" and return to six-country talks aimed at ending the country's nuclear program, and expressed his support for South Korea's efforts to deal with North Korean threats. 

"I think it would be very wise for the regime in Pyongyang to get back properly to the negotiating table through the six-party talks and to adopt a reasonable posture to bring about a long-term, peaceful solution to the Korean Peninsula," Rudd told reporters. 

Lee recalled that Australian troops fought in the Korean War from 1950-53. 

"Compared to 50 years ago, the distance between Korea and Australia really is not a matter that will keep us away from each other," Lee said through an interpreter. 

"I believe that when we have a future-oriented relationship, security issues must also be discussed and through such cooperation in the security area, we can ensure the peace and security of the region," he added. 

Last month, South Korea's Defense Ministry said North Korea had recently deployed a new type of medium-range ballistic missile capable of reaching northern Australia and the U.S. territory of Guam. 

The report comes amid speculation that the isolated regime also is preparing to test-fire another, longer-range missile capable of hitting Alaska. 

The two leaders also announced that their governments would begin negotiations in May on a bilateral free trade agreement. 

Lee is in Australia on a trip that also includes New Zealand and Indonesia. 

The new security pact aims to increase cooperation between South Korea and Australia on global disarmament and nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It will cover a range of security threats including terrorism, drug smuggling and piracy as well as people and weapons trafficking. 

It also aims to increase joint military training exercises and exchanges. And it includes a separate agreement that would ensure safe sharing of classified military information such as defense industry contracts.

Piracy Issue To Be Raised At Asean Summit

Bernama, February 25, 2009 15:56 PM 

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will raise the issue of piracy in the Somalian waters at the three-day 14th Asean Summit in Hua Hin, Thailand which begins this Friday. 

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said pirates did not only threathen Malaysian vessels but also those of other Asean countries including Singapore. 

He said although the United Nations had passed a resolution to end piracy there the reality was that it was still widespread. 

As such Malaysia will initiate various efforts on the matter including using the summit to discuss the issue and getting agreement among Asean countries on the matter, Rais told reporters after launching two ministerial publications which were 'Asean Record' and the book 'Malaysia-Europe: Strategic Partnerships for the Pacific Century, here today. 

Rais said an anti-piracy seminar would be held in Kuala Lumpur in May to be attended by various countries and Malaysia would continue to propose constructive preventive steps to overcome piracy. 

Meanwhile, Rais said at the summit Malaysia would also attend meetings at various levels to discuss an Asean human rights body whose setting up would take at least a year. 

"We have formed a high level panel, consisting of legal experts, officials from various ministries of the member states, the Secretary-General's office in Jakarta but to date we have not accepted any specific projects, programmes, or interpretations (regarding human rights in Asean). 

"But we are quite sure that the human rights concept and implementation of its projects will have to be in conformity with the societies of Asean states," he said. 

Besides that, Rais said the delegation to be led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was expected to discuss the matter of Rohingya refugees, the Asean progress map declaration for the future, and also obstacles faced by the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) which was set up in 2003. 

He said the prime minister would also be involved in various discussions on the global economic situation and suggestions and proposals from the Asean Finance Ministers' meeting on Feb 22. 

On the Asean Record published in Bahasa Malaysia, Rais said it would distributed to schools, non-governmental organisations, public libraries and the like to enhance people's understanding on Asean relations and his ministry would also have various fora on it. 

He said the book titled Malaysia-Europe: Strategic Partnerships for the Pacific Century by noted intellectual Dr Corrado Letta suggests steps to enhance and strengthen bi-lateral Malaysia-Europe relations.

Pirate abduction in Malacca Strait after long quiet

The Jakarta Post, The Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur | Sat, 02/21/2009 7:54 PM  

Armed pirates kidnapped two crew members of a Singapore-managed tug and barge in the Malacca Strait, raising fears of renewed insecurity along the busy shipping route, a maritime watchdog said Saturday. 

It was the first abduction of seafarers after a long lull in kidnap-and-ransom cases that once afflicted the waterways between peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia's Sumatra island, Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center, said in Kuala Lumpur. 

About 12 pirates with guns boarded the vessel in the northern part of the strait Thursday and seized two senior crew members, Choong said. He declined to elaborate on their nationalities or whether a ransom has been demanded. 

"We hope this is not the start of more such pirate attacks," Choong said. 

The strait has long been notorious for robberies and hijackings, but the number of attacks abated when Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore launched coordinated maritime and air patrols in recent years to curb piracy. 

Only two pirate attacks were reported on the waterway last year, down from seven in 2007, according to the International Maritime Bureau. However, it has said that other cases sometimes go unreported. 

Half the world's oil and more than a third of its commerce is carried by the 70,000 vessels the use the strait each year.