BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN JOINT DECLARATION ON 
THE SECOND ASEAN DEFENCE MINISTERS'
MEETING PLUS

Bandar Seri Begawan, 29 August 2013

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, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America, gathered here in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam on 29 August 2013 for the Second ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (hereinafter referred to as "ADMM-Plus");

RECALLING the Inaugural ADMM-Plus in Hanoi, Viet Nam on 12 October 2010 as a significant milestone in ASEAN's history, which brought together for the first time the Defence Ministers from the ASEAN Member States and the eight ASEAN Dialogue Partners, namely Australia, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the United States of America;

RESPECTING the fundamental principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) as the key code of conduct in governing our relations and cooperation, and guided further by ASEAN's purposes and principles as identified in the ASEAN Charter;

RECALLING ALSO 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) and its Attachment Paper (2010);

RECOGNISING the positive contributions made by the ADMM-Plus countries in enhancing the peace, stability and development of Southeast Asia, and their interest in promoting closer cooperation to address common security issues and challenges;

EMPHASISING that the ADMM-Plus is an integral part of the ADMM and shall contribute to the realisation of the ASEAN Political-Security Community by 2015;

REAFFIRMING that the ADMM-Plus is a key component of a robust, effective, open and inclusive regional security architecture that enhances friendship, mutual trust and confidence through regular dialogue and practical cooperation among its defence establishments;

REAFFIRMING FURTHER the principle of ASEAN centrality, where ASEAN is the primary driving force in the ADMM-Plus process;

RECALLING the decision by the ASEAN Defence Ministers at the Sixth ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) held on 29 May 2012 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to increase the frequency of ADMM-Plus meetings from once in three years to once in two years commencing after the ADMMPlus in 2013 in Brunei Darussalam;

RECOGNISING the valuable work of the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials' Meeting-Plus (ADSOM-Plus) and ASEAN Defence Senior Officials' Meeting-Plus Working Group (ADSOM-Plus WG), as well as the outstanding work of the five ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Groups (EWGs) over the past three years in moving forward practical cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime security, military medicine, counter-terrorism and peacekeeping operations;

RECOGNISING the importance of the inaugural ADMM-Plus Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and Military Medicine Exercise (ADMM-Plus HADR and MM Ex) held in Brunei Darussalam in June 2013 as a landmark of cooperation among the defence forces of the ADMM-Plus countries, contributing towards the building of regional capacity in addressing non traditional security challenges, in particular disaster management;

COMMENDING the earnest efforts of the ADMM-Plus EWGs in facilitating and promoting practical cooperation among the defence forces at the operational level as a concrete step towards building capacity and enhancing capability;

DESIRING to create a harmonious environment by further strengthening the existing bonds of friendship, good neighbourliness and cooperation among our defence establishments in keeping with the principles of equality, partnership, consultation and mutual respect;

COGNISANT of the complex and multifaceted nature of security issues and challenges that also present greater opportunities, which call upon countries to address them through practical cooperation among various defence/security and national civilian agencies;

REAFFIRMING the direction of the 21st ASEAN Summit held in Phnom Penh on 18 November 2012 to promote synergy between regional mechanisms, including that of the ADMMPlus and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF);

REAFFIRMING our commitment to enhance peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region;

DO HEREBY DECLARE TO:

1. Strengthen defence cooperation in the advancement of the cause of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region based on the enduring principles of equality, mutual respect, mutual benefit and respect for international law;
2. Be Guided in our relations by the fundamental principles enshrined in the TAC, especially the renunciation of the threat or use of force and exercise of self-restraint, while conforming to international norms of behavior, and sustaining the international institutions and laws that underpin a stable international order;
3. Encourage the ADMM-Plus defence and military establishments to establish practical measures that reduce vulnerability to miscalculations, and avoid misunderstanding and undesirable incidents at sea;
4. Promote better understanding and enhance confidence building through closer interactions and contacts among defence establishments;
5. Work towards enhancing regional capacity and joint capabilities in addressing defence and security challenges of mutual interest by promoting capacity-building through greater engagements and interactions, enhancing interoperability through training and joint exercises, and establishing mechanisms for effective response;
6. Remain actively engaged in the ADMM-Plus process to respond effectively to current and future challenges and opportunities based on principles of non-interference, consensus-based decision making, national and regional resilience, and respect for national sovereignty;
7. Request the ADSOM-Plus to develop procedures to share information between the ADMM-Plus and ARF, to coordinate the schedule of meetings, exercises and activities more effectively;
8. Promote and strengthen the spirit of fostering collective responsibility through the development of shared understanding on defence and security challenges;
9. Welcome progress made in strengthening understanding, sharing experiences and fostering practical cooperation in the EWG on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (EWG on HADR), which includes two meetings and field demonstrations of search and rescue (SAR) operations in China and Vietnam, respectively. Commend the adoption of an ad hoc Standard Operation Procedure and professional conduct of HADR operations by all participating armed forces in the ADMM-Plus HADR and MM Ex, which indicates great potential for collaboration in HADR actions among militaries of the ADMM-Plus countries. Appreciate the EWG on Military Medicine (EWG on MM), and Brunei Darussalam for great support and cooperation before and during the Exercise;
10. Acknowledge the significant progress made in fostering practical cooperation in the EWG on Maritime Security (EWG on MS), through conduct of meetings and a Table-Top Exercise on non-traditional security challenges, which has provided a foundation for conducting a Field Training Exercise and launch of the ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Community Information-Sharing Portal in 2013;
11. Recognise the achievements of the EWG on Military Medicine (EWG on MM) through the conduct of the workshop in July 2011, a Table-Top Exercise in July 2012 and the ADMM-Plus HADR and MM Ex, which strengthens the interoperability and coordination among the military medical services of the ADMM-Plus countries, and enhances cooperation in the area of medical support for HADR operations;
12. Support the work at the EWG on Counter-Terrorism (EWG on CT), which will hold the first ADMM-Plus Counter-Terrorism Exercise at the Indonesian Peace and Security Center (IPSC) in Sentul, Bogor, Indonesia in September 2013 to fulfill the commitment of the ADMM-Plus Defence Ministers to undertake practical cooperation in combating the regional threat of terrorism. Acknowledge that such activities build closer ties among defense institutions based on trust, understanding and transparency, while strengthening regional capabilities in fighting terrorism;
13. Recognise the progress made by the EWG on Peacekeeping Operations (EWG on PKO) in enabling ASEAN Member States and Plus countries to exchange views on legal principles, contemporary challenges and capacity requirements of peacekeeping operations; in developing a regional peacekeeping capability profile that sets the direction of practical cooperation of the EWG in key areas, including education, training and linkages among peacekeeping centres; in exploring measures to address the challenges attendant to generating forces for peacekeeping deployment; and in planning for a Table-Top Exercise in 2013 that will further enhance practical cooperation among the ADMM-Plus countries;
14. Welcome the Sixth ADMM's decision to increase the frequency of ADMM-Plus meetings from once in three years to once in two years commencing after the ADMM-Plus in 2013, which will foster greater momentum in dialogue and cooperation, and reinforce the positive commitment of the ADMM-Plus countries to enhance regional peace and stability in a cooperative manner;
15. Affirm the Concept Paper on the Establishment of the ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Humanitarian Mine Action adopted at the Seventh ADMM held on 7 May 2013 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, which promotes practical and effective cooperation between ASEAN Member States and Plus countries in dealing with the consequences of explosive remnants of war in the region;
16. Affirm the Concept Paper on the Transition of the ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group Co-Chairmanship adopted at the Seventh ADMM, which serves as an effective guide for future transitions and provides the necessary procedures that will support any additions to the existing ADMM-Plus EWGs and their co-chairmanship;
17. Congratulate the new set of Co-Chairs of the ADMM-Plus EWGs for the next cycle; and
18. Welcome the convening of the Third ADMM-Plus in Malaysia in 2015.

Done at Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, this Twenty-Ninth Day of August in the Year Two Thousand and Thirteen, in a single original copy in the English Language.

 

For Australia:

STEPHEN SMITH
Minister for Defence

 

For Brunei Darussalam:

PEHIN DATU SINGAMANTERI COLONEL (RETD) DATO SERI SETIA (DR) AWANG HAJI MOHAMMAD YASMIN HAJI UMAR
Minister of Energy at the Prime Minister's Office

 

For the Kingdom of Cambodia:

GENERAL TEA BANH
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense

 

For the People's Republic of China:

GENERAL CHANG WANQUAN
State Councillor and Minister of National Defence

 

For the Republic of India:

JITENDRA SINGH
Minister of State for Defence

 

For the Republic of Indonesia:

PURNOMO YUSGIANTORO
Minister of Defence

 

For Japan:

ITSUNORI ONODERA
Minister of Defense

 

For the Lao People's Democratic Republic:

LIEUTENANT GENERAL DOUANGCHAY PHICHITH
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense

 

For Malaysia:

DATO' SERI HISHAMMUDDIN TUN HUSSEIN
Minister of Defence

 

For the Republic of the Union of Myanmar:

LIEUTENANT GENERAL WAI LWIN
Union Minister for Defence

 

For New Zealand:

HON DR JONATHAN COLEMAN
Minister of Defence

 

For the Republic of the Philippines:

VOLTAIRE T. GAZMIN
Secretary of National Defense

 

For the Republic of Korea:

KIM KWANJIN
Minister of National Defense

 

For the Russian Federation:

ANATOLY I. ANTONOV
Deputy Minister of Defence

 

For the Republic of Singapore:

DR NG ENG HEN
Minister for Defence

 

For the Kingdom of Thailand:

GENERAL YUTHASAK SASIPRAPA
Deputy Minister of Defence

 

For the United States of America:

CHUCK HAGEL
Secretary of Defense

 

For the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam:

GENERAL PHUNG QUANG THANH
Minister of National Defence