ADMM agrees to strengthen ASEAN to deal with non-traditional security threats

www.chinaview.cn , 2009-02-26 23:02:49            

PATTAYA, Thailand, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The third ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) agreed on Thursday in Thailand to sign the joint declaration on strengthening ASEAN defence establishments to meet the challenges of non-traditional security threats. 

The third Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers' Meeting or ADMM is organized in resort town Pattaya of Thailand's eastern province of Chonburi from Feb. 25 to27. 

The signing of the joint declaration has reaffirmed the ADMM's earlier commitment to enhance the regional peace and stability, and to contribute to the establishment of the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) by 2015, Thai Defence Minister and chair of the ADMM meeting General Prawit Wongsuwan said at a joint press conference. 

Three significant concept papers have been adopted in the joint declaration in a bid to strengthen the ASEAN defence establishments to meet non-traditional security challenges, said Gen. Prawit. 

The first concept paper is the use of the ASEAN Military Assets and Capacities in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) as this is aimed at accelerating the ASEAN militaries' operational effectiveness in the HADR, said the Thai Defence Minister. 

The second concept paper is about the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), which is the principles preparing for an additional membership process, said Gen. Prawit. 

The last one is the concept paper on the ASEAN Defence Establishments and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Cooperation on Non-Traditional Security, he said.    

This forum was a good beginning to move forward for the ASEAN defence ministers to cooperate with the ASEAN civil society to deal with non-traditional threats, ASEAN Secretariat Surin Pitsuwan said at the joint press conference.