The first ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting – Plus issued a joint declaration in Hanoi on October 12.

Below is the full text of the joint declaration:  

WE , the Defence Ministers of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America gathered here in Ha Noi, Viet Nam on 12 October 2010 for the First ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting – Plus (hereinafter referred to as “ADMM-Plus”);  

WELCOMING the decision of the Fourth ADMM held on 11 May 2010 for Viet Nam to convene the inaugural meeting of the ADMM-Plus in 2010, which is a significant milestone in ASEAN’s history, with the composition of ten ASEAN Member States and eight Dialogue Partners, namely Australia, the People’s Republic of China , the Republic of India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America (hereinafter referred to as the “Plus” countries);  

NOTING the significant contributions of the eight “Plus” countries to peace, stability, and development of Southeast Asia , as well as their aspiration to enhance cooperation with ASEAN through the ADMM-Plus;  

ACKNOWLEDGING that security challenges in the region and in the world are more complex and transnational in nature, which requires cooperation among countries in the region;  

RECOGNISING the importance of establishing the ADMM-Plus as a key component of a robust, effective, open, and inclusive regional security architecture that would enable the ADMM to cooperate with the eight “Plus” countries to address our common security challenges;  

REAFFIRMING ASEAN centrality in the ADMM-Plus process and that the ADMM-Plus is an integral part of the ADMM that is to contribute positively to ASEAN’s efforts to realise the ASEAN Political-Security Community by 2015;  

REITERATING our commitment, as enshrined in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, on the basis of equality, non-discrimination, and mutual benefit, and guided by the fundamental principles of sovereignty, equality, non-interference, consensus, and unity in diversity;  

NOTING that the ADMM-Plus is the highest ministerial defence and security consultative and cooperative mechanism for regional security issues amongst the ASEAN Member States and the eight “Plus” countries;  

RECALLING the principles and modalities included within the papers approved by the ASEAN Defence Ministers, namely the ADMM-Plus Concept Paper (2007); ADMM-Plus: Principles for Membership (2009); ADMM-Plus: Configuration and Composition (2010); and ADMM-Plus: Modalities and Procedures (2010);  

DO HEREBY UNDERTAKE TO:  

1. Affirm our commitment to enhance peace, security, and prosperity in the region;  

2. Promote the ADMM-Plus as a useful and effective platform for cooperation on defence and security issues that is able to make useful contributions to regional peace and security;  

3. Enhance friendship, mutual trust, and confidence through greater dialogue and exchange among the ADMM-Plus defence establishments;  

4. Strengthen regional defence and security cooperation through conduct of concrete and practical cooperation to address defence and security issues of mutual interest, with a view to building capacity, developing expertise, and enhancing coordination in areas that can contribute to regional peace and security;  

5. Welcome the initiatives for practical cooperation as encapsulated in the Discussion Paper on “Potential, Prospects, and Direction of Practical Cooperation within the Framework of the ADMM-Plus”;  

6. Establish an ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting-Plus (ADSOM-Plus) to implement the understandings and decisions of the ADMM-Plus;  

7. Task the ADSOM-Plus to establish specific Expert Working Groups on defence and security issues of mutual interest; and  

8. Welcome the convening of the Second ADMM-Plus Meeting to be held in Brunei Darussalam in 2013.  

SIGNED in Ha Noi, Viet Nam , on the Twelfth Day of October in the Year Two Thousand and Ten, in a single original copy in the English language./.

Secretary Gates remarks from the ADMM+, Oct 12

    Good morning and thank you to General Thanh and the Government of Vietnam for hosting us today.  Congratulations on the 1,000 year anniversary of Hanoi.  I am pleased to join you for the inaugural meeting of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus.  I would like to start by commending our ASEAN partners for recognizing the need for a broader Asian forum to allow regional defense officials to discuss issues of common interest.

                As I have said before, the United States is a Pacific nation and a resident power in Asia -- we have been for many years and will continue to be in the future.  Because both our history and our future are intertwined with yours, we believe it is essential to be able to work on common security challenges together.

                Over the past few decades, this region has made tremendous progress in overcoming past animosities and establishing new partnerships. What is now essential is that these bilateral relationships be supplemented by strong multilateral institutions.  These institutions enable us to build regular habits of cooperation to address shared interests, while allowing for candid discussions about those areas where we may disagree.

                Through regular dialogue and cooperation, we can build a foundation of greater trust and confidence, which is essential to enhancing our common security.  To do so, we must establish both shared "rules of the road" and pursue greater transparency -- meaning that as we improve our military capabilities, we must discuss these developments together. This provides assurance that our capabilities are not directed against others in the region and that they will be used for common ends.

                As I have stated before, the first step is reaffirming our commitment to fundamental principles that are essential to regional peace, prosperity, and stability.  These include:

• Our commitment to free and open commerce;
• A just international order that emphasizes the rights and responsibilities of nations, and fidelity to the rule of law;
• Open access by all to the global commons of sea, air, space, and now, the cyberspace domain; and
• The principle of resolving conflict without the use of force.

                Agreement on these fundamental principles is important now more than ever. Asia faces a wide and growing range of challenges in the 21st century:

• Extremist violence;
• Climate change and pandemic disease;
• Competition over scarce resources;
• Unresolved border disputes;
• The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery; and
• North Korea's continuing provocations, such as the sinking of the Cheonan.

                These are security issues that cannot be successfully addressed without the cooperation of everyone here today. 

                President Obama has made clear that one of the touchstone issues for his administration is to combat the proliferation of nuclear weapons. We cannot achieve this objective without the support of our regional partners.  Asian nations have taken a number of critical steps on this issue, including participation in the proliferation security initiative, and implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.  Going forward, this forum provides us with an opportunity to further discuss how we can reduce the risk of proliferation together.

                Another serious challenge in the region, especially here in Southeast Asia, is the risk of pandemic disease.  The magnitude of a widespread outbreak in Asia would be unprecedented.  For this reason, the U.S. government is working together with regional partners to improve our ability to conduct disease surveillance and strengthen our response capabilities in the event of an outbreak.

                Similarly, extremist violence is a growing threat in Asia, and one the United States takes very seriously. We are cooperating with a range of partners to increase our combined capacity to combat this threat.  Though we have made progress, there is certainly more we can do, through combined exercises, law enforcement exchanges, and dialogues, to coordinate and improve our standard operating procedures. 

                Finally, a topic of particular importance for all nations here today is maritime security.  Disagreements over territorial claims and the appropriate use of the maritime domain appear to be a growing challenge to regional stability and prosperity. 

                The United States does not take sides on competing territorial claims, such as those in the South China Sea.  Competing claims should be settled peacefully, without force or coercion, through collaborative diplomatic processes, and in keeping with customary international law.

                On that note, we are encouraged to see claimant nations in the South China Sea making initial steps to discuss the development of a full code of conduct, in line with the 2002 ASEAN Declaration on the Conduct of Parties.  We applaud this multilateral approach and we stand ready to help facilitate such initiatives.

                The U.S. position on maritime security remains clear: we have a national interest in freedom of navigation; in unimpeded economic development and commerce; and in respect for international law.  We also believe that customary international law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, provides clear guidance on the appropriate use of the maritime domain, and rights of access to it.  By adhering to this guidance, we can ensure that all share equal and open access to international waterways.

                The United States has always exercised our rights and supported the rights of others to transit through, and operate in, international waters. This will not change, nor will our commitment to engage in exercises and activities together with our allies and partners.

                These activities are a routine and critical component of demonstrating our commitment to the region, maintaining peace and stability, and promoting freedom of navigation.  They are also essential to building habits of strong security cooperation, which is necessary as we move forward to address common security challenges together. 

                We have made tremendous progress in this region over the past thirty years.  But there is more to be done.  The nature of the challenges we face today requires a renewed commitment to strong bilateral and multilateral defense and security relationships.  This ADMM plus forum provides us with the opportunity to make this aspiration a reality and to improve our capacity to meet shared challenges.  The U.S. looks forward to participating actively in this most useful innovation for addressing the challenges and opportunities we all see in the region. We should build on the success of today's meeting.

The next Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) will be held in Brunei in 2013, a declaration of the first-ever ADDM-Plus said Wednesday.

The joint declaration adopted at the defense and   security  forum said the meeting had built up mutual trust and co-operation, contributing to peace and stability in the region as also the world.

The delegates discussed five important areas of co-operation, including humanitarian aid and disaster-relief, military medicine, maritime security, counter-terrorism and peace-keeping operations, besides a new structure for regional security.

ASEAN-Plus working groups will discuss the initiatives referred to at the meeting in the coming months and they will be co-operate till replaced by the next defense ministerial forum in 2013.

Either defense chiefs or representatives from ten Southeast Asian countries and eight dialogue partners, including China, India and the United States, attended the one-day conclave in Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said the meeting marked a new development phase of ASEAN's defense co-operation.

The meeting, titled "Strategic Co-operation for Peace, Stability and Development in the Region," would reaffirm the open nature of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' meeting, and   help  promote defense dialogue and co-operation between ASEAN and its dialogue partners, he said.

US and China soften tone over disputed seas during ADMM, New York Times, Oct 12

  The United States and   China  sought to defuse tensions over disputed territorial seas on Tuesday, with Defense Secretary   Robert M. Gates  urging nations to honor historic rights of free transit through international waters and his Chinese counterpart saying the region had nothing to fear from Beijing’s armed forces.

At a forum of Asian defense ministers here, Mr. Gates was emphatic in calling on all countries that share the South China Sea to renounce threats or coercion in resolving their competing claims of sovereignty over transit lanes, fishing rights, territory and undersea resources.

But he was also diplomatic, insisting that the United States did not take sides in such disputes and not specifically naming China as the perceived aggressor. In a recent round of disagreements, China has for the past three weeks cut off shipments to Japan of   rare earth minerals, crucial to that country’s auto, electronics and clean energy industries.

Beijing’s delegation to the meeting — a gathering of ministers from the   Association of Southeast Asian Nations, plus representatives of Russia and China — also spoke in measured terms, emphasizing that China’s military growth was not a threat.

China’s message, while delivered in broad, nonspecific terms, was interpreted as representing an effort to calm concerns over Beijing’s maritime intentions.

Even so, representatives of seven nations raised the issue of how to guarantee maritime security for all countries sharing the South China Sea. The disputes have particularly upset Vietnamese and Japanese relations with China.

Gates in Hanoi, Straits Times, Oct 11

US DEFENCE Secretary Robert Gates on Monday called for an international approach to resolving territorial disputes in the Pacific, despite China's opposition to any multilateral deal brokered by Washington.

In remarks that appeared aimed at China, Mr Gates said that 'increasingly, we find that relying exclusively on bilateral relationships is not enough - we need multilateral institutions in order to confront the most important security challenges in the region.' Key issues in Asia, including 'territorial disputes,' could best be solved through 'strong multilateral cooperation,' he said in a speech to military officers at Vietnam National University in Hanoi.

Beijing's claims to potentially resource-rich archipelagos in the South China Sea have put it at odds with Vietnam and some members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

China favours handling the South China Sea issue bilaterally with individual claimants, while Asean members have called for negotiating a 'code of conduct' for all nations.

Malaysian Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters in Hanoi that the South China Sea was a 'a little bit sensitive' and would not be on the formal agenda when regional defence ministers meet on Tuesday.

Mr Gates, who is in Hanoi for the Asean-led conference, said that Southeast Asian countries 'sit astride key global trade routes,' and reiterated the US view on the importance of ensuring unfettered, safe access for global shipping. 'The US and Vietnam, as well as other nations in the region, also share a common interest in maritime security and freedom of access to the global commons,' he said

The first Meeting of ASEAN Chiefs of Security Agencies (MACOSA) opened in Hanoi on September 29 in the wake of emerging major threats to the region such as territorial disputes and terrorism.  

Lieut. Gen. Bui Van Nam, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Public Security, said at the opening session that MACOSA aimed to establish an official channel of co-operation on security among member states, which would mark a step forward in a roadmap towards the foundation of an ASEAN political-security community by 2015.  

Security is one of three major pillars to build a peaceful and prosperous ASEAN community, which includes economic and social-cultural communities.  

The initiative on MACOSA was raised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security at a point when Vietnam holds the presidency of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the first time.  

ASEAN is facing major threats to regional security, including climate change, natural calamities, epidemics and environmental pollution, apart from disputes in sovereignty and territory, both land and water.  

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security is working hard with counterparts from other members in working out a mechanism of co-operation at the top level. The mechanism will focus on four areas, including exchange of information on regional security related to member nations, safeguarding of very important persons and key targets and co-operation in human resource development for national defence.  

The potential mechanism is also designed to support activities of the Senior Officials’ Meeting on Trans-national Crime (SOMTC) and the ASEAN Chiefs of Police Conference (ASEANAPOL), all aimed at ensuring peace, solidarity, equality, democracy and co-operation for all individual members and the entire grouping as a whole.  

While worried about an aggressive China, ASEAN remains wary of a US role, Jakarta Globe, September 29

First, it’s long been a truism that Southeast Asian governments fear being forced to choose between China and America.  

No Southeast Asian country wants to make such a choice, but no less an authority than Singapore’s widely respected ambassador to Washington, Chan Heng Chee, has observed that, if forced, Southeast Asians would generally opt for China.  

There’s a consensus in the region that the US-China relationship is vital to all concerned. When asked what kind of relationship best protects Southeast Asian interests, the answer is the proverbial Goldilocks principle — “not too hot and not too cold.”  

A cooperative but not deeply collaborative relationship is just right.  

Second, as previously noted, China’s influence and strategic reach into Southeast Asia is deep, powerful and growing.  

This is particularly evident in the economic sphere.  

As the global financial crisis weakened the credibility of the US and European economies, China emerged as the largest trading partner of Asean.  

Between 2009 and 2010, aggregate trade is up roughly 50 percent year-on-year. Not coincidentally, the China-Asean Free Trade Area entered into force at the beginning of 2010.  

Third, despite significant investments in military modernization, no Southeast Asian country is prepared to confront China militarily. Vietnam is the only country that did recently, in response to China’s 1979 invasion.  

Vietnamese forces acquitted themselves well in that encounter, but Hanoi is under no illusion that such success could be replicated today.  

The only naval and air forces that can credibly face off against China in the South China Sea are American — and if it came to that, US commanders should expect little or no operational support from Asean, with the possible and limited exception of Vietnam.  

Fourth, Asean is not the feckless cave of winds that some Westerners describe.  

But it’s also not a unified, purposeful actor regarding the South China Sea. Several Asean governments, including Laos, Cambodia and Burma are highly responsive to Chinese interests and have no proverbial dog in the South China Sea fight.  

US, Asian allies take firmer stance on China, Wall Street Journal ,

US Stirs South China Sea waters, Asia Times, Sept 28

The expression of "core interest" worried ASEAN nations, especially those with territorial claims to the South China Sea, as it seemingly placed China's claim to the South China Sea at the highest level of policy. It also concerned US policymakers since the area is the world's third most active commercial sea lane and runs counter to Washington's views on navigation rights.  

At the ASEAN Regional   Forum   in Hanoi in July, Chinese officials were caught off-guard when US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared that the resolution of territorial disputes was a matter of America's national interest. Beijing reacted angrily, accusing the US of interference in a regional issue. Soon after, China held its largest naval exercises to date in the South China Sea in a move some strategic observers saw as a veiled threat.  

The US held its own, albeit much smaller, naval exercises with Vietnam   last month and hosted Vietnamese officials and military officers aboard the American carrier   USS George Washington   as it steamed through the South China Sea. While the exercises only involved non-combatant activities and the visit was geared toward confidence-building, the move was clearly designed to send a competing message of US interest in the area.  

Prior to Friday's meeting in New York, China spokeswoman Jiang Yu had warned the US and ASEAN about issuing a statement on the South China Sea. She said outside parties should not interfere in the dispute since internationalizing the issue would only make it more complicated and not lead to a solution.  

China's stance on maritime issues has grown increasingly hardline in recent years. As its naval power has grown, Beijing has backed strong rhetoric with military exercises that have set neighboring powers on edge. China has assumed the right to regulate which vessels can navigate or conduct research in its exclusive economic zones (EEZ), a move which legal experts say flouts international laws governing freedom of navigation. The   USS Impeccable, an ocean surveillance ship, was harassed by Chinese naval vessels in March 2009, forcing it to leave an area in China's EEZ.  

China's tougher stance has become increasingly evident in the South China Sea. After several years of diplomatic dealings, including its signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation with ASEAN in 2003, China has become increasingly firm about its wide claims in the maritime area. The treaty aimed to commit all sides in disputes to peaceful resolution and the renunciation of the threat or use of force.  

China's claims extend over most of the South China Sea and are at odds with the territorial claims of Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines. In addition to navigation issues, the seabed is thought to be rich in oil and gas.  

Economic ally, strategic threat  
Through burgeoning trade and investment ties, ASEAN has grown closer to China in recent years. Those ties have been bolstered by Beijing's various "soft power" initiatives, including ramped up development   aid, interest-free loans, and various training courses for officials, including Chinese language sessions. Its influence is set to rise with its still fast-growing economy and the inauguration this year of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement, which will lower or eliminate tariffs.  

At the same time, historical fears combined with rising concerns over Beijing's rapid military expansion have some Southeast Asian nations worried about future Chinese domination. The obvious hedge to these fears is the US, especially since its overt re-engagement with the region following Clinton's visit to the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta in February 2009. ASEAN leaders have reacted warmly to Washington's overture, saying they welcome a strong US role in the region.  

Regional maritime relations focus of US-ASEAN meet, Pattaya Daily, Sept 26

Maritime security in the South Chin Sea, a key international shipping zone responsible for the passage of trade and transport ships using the Straits of Malacca, was discussed due to on going disputes between China, Japan and several other countries; however, Mr. Piromya assured that it was not the focus of the meet.

In a bid to strengthen relations in the region, a contingent of U.S. trainers and teachers will soon be dispatched to the 10-member ASEAN nations in order to teach English, discuss trading possibilities and propagate environmental preservation issues, particularly centered on forestry and marine habitats, according to Mr. Piromya.

“It displays a strong determination by the U.S. in strengthening relations with ASEAN. Everyone is speaking in one voice how important the US is for security, trade and investment, tourism and technology. The US develops innovative technology all the time,” Foreign Minister Mr. Piromya added.

The National Police on Sunday played down the level of military involvement in the fight against terrorism following the recent use of soldiers in such operations for the first time in nearly a decade.  

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Iskandar Hasan confirmed that Army intelligence and troops had joined police hunting militants in North Sumatra after an attack on a police post in Hamparan Perak on Sept. 22 that killed three police officers, but stressed this did not reflect a new policy or strategy.  

“This is just because the [North Sumatra Police chief] has a close relationship with the local Army chief and they decided to cooperate to maintain the security. It’s just an informal cooperation,” he said.  

“This is a local military battalion near the area and they want to help us. We welcome it because it is related with security and the army work is under police coordination and direction.”  

The statement came as Ansyaad Mbai, the head of the newly formed National Anti-Terrorism Agency (BNPT), was quoted as saying cooperation was “a new development” in response to the changing tactics of terrorists, who are shifting from suicide bombings to armed assaults as seen in Mumbai in 2008.  

“The goal is to send the terrorists a strong message that they are now enemies of the state, not just the police,” he said.  

“Terrorists have to know for sure that they’re now facing the state, and that the state is ready to deploy all its forces to face them.”  

While Iskandar stressed that the military involvement in North Sumatra antiterror operations had nothing to do with the BNPT, Ansyaad has long made it clear that the BNPT would not shy away from requesting Army support.  

Indonesia plans 180 flankers plus F-16’s, Aviation Week, Sept 30

Indonesia intends to acquire 180 Sukhoi Flankers and also to buy Lockheed Martin F-16s, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro says, setting out plans for a massive expansion of the Southeast Asian country’s air combat force.

If Indonesia is serious about buying 180 Flankers, then Canberra will almost certainly fund the Royal Australian Air Force’s plan for 100 Lockheed Martin F-35s, says Andrew Davies, an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Until now, there was a significant chance that Australia would buy fewer F-35s.

The Sukhoi fleet will be built up by 2024, with 18 aircraft in each of 10 squadrons, Purnomo says. F-16s will replace BAE Systems Hawks, the government’s Antara news agency says in a report carrying Purnomo’s statement.

If the country does buy 180 Flankers and if it can operate them efficiently — two big ifs — then it will have transformed an air force that now has negligible combat capability.

Indonesia has been operating its current small force of Flankers, a mix of Su-27s and Su-30s, with poor levels of efficiency and availability. Analysts believe that its nine Northrop F-5s are in worse shape. Eight of 12 F-16As and Bs ordered in the 1980s are grounded.

The delivery of three Flankers this week took the force of that type to 10. The government previously said it would buy an additional six.

Among ASEAN Countries, Indonesia lacks military equipment, Tempo, Sept 28

The Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff, Marshall Imam Sufaat, admitted that Indonesia is one of the ASEAN countries with minimal major weaponry system, like fighter jets. The main reason is lack of funds.

Imam said that compared to Thailand and Singapore Indonesia has few planes. However, Imam did not mention how many planes Indonesia has at the moment. Besides 10 units of Sukhois, the Indonesian Air Force only mentioned F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-5 Tiger. They are parked at Squadron 3 and Squadron 14 of the Iswahyudi Main Air Base in Madiun, East Java.

“We don’t intend to compete in the number or jets. What is more important is predicting security threats,” Imam said in his press release on the handover of Sukhoi at the Hasanuddin Air Base in Makassar yesterday.

He said airplane procurement is continuing gradually until the number reaches 180 airplanes by 2024. The number includes the ones available right now.

The Indonesian Air Force General Chief of Staff, Marshall Madya Edi Harjoko, said Indonesia’s fighter jets have the same ability as that of Malaysia, Singapore, and other neighboring countries.

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, who was present at the handover event, said he was optimistic Indonesia can reach the targeted 180 planes. The planes will later be divided to 10 squadrons, each alloted 16 to 18 planes.

According to Minister Purnomo, the improved economic condition can support this. For the procurement of military equipment, Purnomo said, the government is trying to get funding from the State Budget, export credits and revenues from domestic trade. “Some of the weaponry system cannot be manufactured locally, so we need to ask another country’s help so we can maintain our sovereignty,” he said.

Regarding the Sukhois, Purnomo said the Russian airplane has been equipped with weapons. According to Purnomo, the bombs are locally manufactured in Malang.

He said the purchase contract for the Sukhoi is separate from that of weapons, however, this does not mean the 10 Sukhois in Squadron 11 at the Sultan Hasanuddin Air Base are not armed.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today called on Asean countries to lead the way in resolving regional security issues via collaboration.

During his keynote address at the Putrajaya Forum, themed “The Emerging Regional Security Architecture”, he impressed upon delegates the importance of managing differing views and interests in order to maintain mutual confidence and cooperative engagement among nations.

Najib, who is also the former defence minister, outlined a framework of collaboration that he believed must be upheld by all parties concerned with regional architecture security.

“First, it is extremely important for such multi-state engagement to fully recognise the role of each member state be it rich or poor, small or big,” he said. “Cooperative arrangements need to be inclusive and all stakeholders must be given adequate space and respect in addressing any issues.”

An example of an inclusive agreement, he said, was the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) which effectively kept the peace in responding to regional security challenges.

Najib also emphasied the need to recognise the respective histories, cultures and economic positions of each member country in the Asean Defence Minister's Meeting-Plus (ADDM-Plus).

Individual strengths

Najib advised that stakeholders be allowed to contribute in accordance with their capacity and that cooperative arrangements capitalise on each country's individual strengths in responding to common security concerns.

“There also needs to be institutional relationships that extend to the operational level,” he added. “You should be familiar with your counterpart in a shared operation area. You must also be able to relate to it so that you can respond to security concerns in a way that will not lead to greater tension in that particular operational area.”

The implementation of confidence measures was another principle on his list, aimed at fostering deeper dialogue and understanding between partners. Najib pointed out that the absence of such understanding could lead to misinterpretation of one partner's action that could in result in conflict.

However, he expressed confidence that Asean nations are on the right track in engaging each other in dialogue on security issues.

“You can expect problems in the region and between leaders,” he said. “Most of the time these problems are legacy issues that have been unresolved over many years. Hence it is important to decide the route to reach a solution.”

“Either you choose negotiations or resort to international mechanisms like the International Court of Justice. If you choose negotiations, then you must have a spirit of compromise. International mechanisms, meanwhile, will enable problems to be resolved in an elegant manner.”

The inaugural forum is hosted by the Malaysian Insitute of Defence and Security (MiDAS) and is focused on promoting solutions on regional defence and security issues. Fifteen nations are being represented by the respective defence ministers, defence legal forces chiefs and secretaries-general of the defence ministry.

The Putrajaya Forum is also seen as an extension of the inaugural ADMM-Plus that was recently held in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The chief government negotiator in peace talks with Muslim rebels on Thursday welcomed a rebel leader's statement that his group is no longer demanding independence from the Philippines and instead is seeking a status similar to a U.S. state.

The rebel announcement Wednesday "will definitely pave the way to finding an understanding for a politically feasible arrangement that maintains the territorial integrity and the fundamental premise of people's sovereignty in one republic," law school dean Marvic Leonen said in a statement.

"We hope that there can be a lot of common ground" with the rebels, Leonen, head of the government negotiating panel, later told The Associated Press. The rebels have been fighting for Muslim self-rule for about four decades.

Mohagher Iqbal, chief negotiator for the 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front, told local reporters on Wednesday that his group wanted a "substate" that he likened to a U.S. state. He said it would not be independent and would be under a "unitary government."

"It is not stated in our proposal specifically, but the formulation that we have put up is really for the creation of a ... substate arrangement," Iqbal was quoted as saying.

Leonen said it was a "welcome clarification" of the rebel position.

"We are willing to listen to the concept that they are willing to propose," he told the AP.

Talks collapsed in 2008 after the Supreme Court rejected a preliminary accord that would have expanded an existing Muslim autonomous region in the southern Philippines.

THE Ministry of Defence has temporarily suspended all training for its fleet of Apache AH-64 helicopters pending the outcome of the investigation of one which crash-landed on Thursday afternoon.

Training for the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk naval helicopters, which have similar engines as the Apache AH-64 helicopters, will also be on hold, said a Mindef statement on Thursday night.

The army budget has doubled   since a 2006 military coup removed a government led by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was accused of corruption and later convicted in a Thai court of breaking conflict of interest laws while in office.

Recent army procurement deals have raised questions of whether military corruption has worsened since the coup.

These include a 350 million baht ($11.4 million) purchase of a leaky surveillance blimp last year and   more than 700 UK-made GT200 bomb detectors   that turned out to be an embarrassing scam -- they are lumps of plastic with no working mechanical parts.

The military said in July it would keep the airship if its U.S. manufacturer paid for repairs. It initially insisted the bomb detectors, which cost 900,000 baht ($29,360) each, worked fine until weeks of public outcry brought an admission they had flaws. But they said the purchase was above board.

" Cases like these are hard to pin down because there is no serious investigation into who was accountable. It is usually taken as an honest mistake and the blame is on manufacturers. The procurement side gets off lightly ," said Nuannoi Trirat, an economist at Chulalongkorn University who studies governance.

Thailand requests F-16 upgrades, Oct 4

Thailand is seeking a three-phased, midlife upgrade program for its F-16A/B Block 15 aircraft, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said.

The requested upgrade program for 18 aircraft, would be worth about $700 million.

The agency said in its notification to the U.S. Congress that the MLU, with modular mission computer, includes APG-68(V)9 radar, APX-113 combined interrogator and transponder, ALQ-213 electronic warfare management system, ALE-47 countermeasures dispenser system, spare and repair parts, tools and support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. government and contractor engineering and technical support services, and other related elements of logistics support.

It said Thailand has requested that six aircraft be upgraded during each three-year phase, with each period overlapping the other by one year.

Thailand needs the program to upgrade its aging F-16 fleet and to increase air sovereignty fighter aircraft effectiveness and interoperability with U.S. forces, the agency said. The proposed sale will enhance the Thai air force's capability to conduct day, night and adverse weather air defense operations.

Rising Military Expenditure in Thailand, New Mandala, Sept 30

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There were no heavy weapons and the military component occupied only a part of the 90-minute programme which included lion dances and depictions of Vietnamese history.

But the parade sends a message that "Vietnam is not a place that you want to attack", said Carl Thayer, a Vietnam specialist at The University of New South Wales in Australia.

Much of Vietnam's military hardware is antiquated but it is seeking to upgrade its forces as the sovereignty dispute simmers with China. In December, Vietnam and Russia signed a major arms deal reported to involve the purchase of six submarines.

That agreement was followed in July by Russia's announcement that it would sell 20 Sukhoi SU-30MK2 fighter planes to Vietnam.

Hanoi last week demanded the release of a vessel and its crew seized by China one month ago while fishing in the Paracels archipelago. The two sides have conflicting claims to sovereignty over the Paracels and Spratlys, two potentially resource-rich archipelagos in the South China Sea.

Although the dispute is a long-running one, China's increasingly assertive presence in the South China Sea has sparked concern not only in Vietnam but neighbouring nations as well as the United States.

China was enraged when Japan last month arrested a Chinese trawler captain at another disputed island group in the East China Sea. Japanese prosecutors released the captain after weeks of intense pressure from Beijing.

Communist Vietnam routinely celebrates major anniversaries with pomp and ceremony as a way for the ruling party to affirm its legitimacy, but also to help shape national identity and pride, said Thayer.

For Nguyen Thi Binh, deputy head of a high school, the parade showed "our military power. I feel very moved".

Vietnam: From Mortal Enemy to strategic regional asset, Washington Diplomat, Oct 5

“The United States supports a collaborative diplomatic process by all claimants for resolving the various territorial disputes without coercion,” she said — for the first time effectively rejecting China’s claims to sovereignty over the whole 1.3 million-square-mile sea, home to undersea oil reserves and vital shipping lanes. “We oppose the use or threat of force by any claimant.”

That triggered an angry response from Beijing, which views the dispute as a bilateral matter, with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi describing Clinton’s comment as “in effect an attack on China” — leaving some observers taken aback at Beijing’s fury.

“The Chinese took off the mask. Their response to Hillary sent very deep shivers down the spines of ASEAN’s leadership,” said Ernie Bower, director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“The Vietnamese are clearly worried by the enhancement of China’s strength in the region, particularly with China pushing them around in regard to oil and gas and fisheries in the South China Sea,” Bower told The Diplomat in a phone call from Jakarta, Indonesia, where he was attending a regional conference. “In response to that, the Vietnamese want to be part of a very strong ASEAN that can work together to [stand up to] China when it pushes too hard. And they want to strengthen their relationship with the United States to make sure the U.S. is engaged in the region should the Chinese try to assert themselves.”

To that end, in August, Vietnam conducted joint naval exercises with U.S. forces in the South China Sea after Hanoi accused Beijing of violating its sovereignty by conducting seismic exploration near an island that Vietnam claims, as well as at oil and gas concessions on its continental shelf.

“We have a problem with China and neighboring countries relating to territorial integrity. With our immediate neighbors, we always have border issues,” said Phung, who previously chaired Vietnam’s border commission and helped to negotiate China’s land and maritime borders with Vietnam.

The regional tensions have also sparked a buying spree, with the New York Times reporting that weapons acquisitions in the region almost doubled from 2005 to 2009 compared with the five preceding years.

Vietnam reportedly has agreed to pay $2.4 billion for six Russian Kilo-class submarines and a dozen Su-30MKK jet fighters equipped for maritime warfare.

Phung told The Diplomat that Vietnam is buying weapons “because the U.S. strategy in the region needs partners there. The Asian countries think the balance of force of the big guys will be a good thing for the region.”

Even so, he cautioned, “We haven’t bought any weapons from the United States because your law still prohibits it. I’ve asked them to change that. But even if we were allowed, we’re not yet ready to buy. It’s too expensive.”

Nevertheless, Vietnam and the United States are talking about a “strategic relationship” that involves both countries’ militaries, and a formal bilateral defense pact could be signed by year’s end, the ambassador noted.

“Vietnam is among the few countries in Southeast Asia to have that kind of role with the United States,” Phung told us. “All these dialogues have been going smoothly, with both sides sharing their views and concerns, and working on how to intensify cooperation in security and defense.”

END MEMO

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