Reply by Senior Minister of State for Defence to Parliamentary Question on Myanmar's Participation in Exercise Cobra Gold

Mr Nicholas Fang: To ask the Minister for Defence what effect will the planned participation of Myanmar as observers in the Asia-based joint military exercise Cobra Gold 2013 have in terms of Myanmar's role in the regional security environment.

Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Chan Chun Sing: Sir, Exercise Cobra Gold is a multilateral exercise conducted in Thailand each year and co-hosted by Thailand and the United States. In 2012, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea participated in Exercise Cobra Gold, while Brunei, Laos, China, Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates sent observers to the exercise.

Singapore welcomes the participation of Myanmar in multilateral security forums and exercises in the region such as the Shangri La Dialogue, the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting or ADMM, as well as Exercise Cobra Gold. These platforms provide important opportunities for regional countries and other stakeholders to engage each other in open and constructive dialogue and practical cooperation. This builds trust and promotes stable defence relations, which in turn enhance regional peace and security.