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Dr Ng: ADMM and all Stakeholders Must Stand Firm on Principles and Protect Common Interests
20 May 2014
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Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (fourth from right) taking part in the ASEAN Wave at the opening of the 8th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting.
Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen is in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, to attend the 8th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM).The Ministers discussed regional security issues of mutual interest, including measures to ease tensions in the South China Sea (SCS). They called on all parties to adhere to the articles in the Implementation Guidelines of the DOC which China and ASEAN have agreed, including "exercising self-restraint and avoiding actions that could escalate tensions", and stressed the need to work expeditiously towards an early conclusion of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the SCS.
The Ministers also agreed to Brunei’s proposal to establish a Direct Communications Link (DCL) or Hotline to keep the channels of communications open in the event of a crisis or emergency. At the meeting, Dr Ng elaborated on the importance of ADMM and its principles. He said, "The ADMM and all stakeholders must stand firm on principles such as respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as adherence to international law. We must actively encourage resolution of disputes through peaceful means. The ADMM must give voice to these principles, and speak as one to protect our common interests while not taking sides in territorial disputes."The Ministers also discussed and commended the good progress in practical cooperation under the ambit of the ADMM and the ADMM-Plus.
The Ministers agreed to adopt the ADMM Three-Year Work Programme and the Additional Protocol to the Concept Papers for the Establishment of the ADMM and ADMM-Plus. They also welcomed the new workplans of the six ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Groups (EWGs), including the conduct of a joint ADMM-Plus counter-terrorism and maritime security (CT/MS) exercise in 2015. The Ministers also reaffirmed the need for militaries to work more closely together to strengthen the region's Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) capabilities. The Ministers supported the establishment of a regional HADR coordination centre, to be hosted in Singapore, which would allow the militaries to respond speedily and effectively to a disaster situation.
Dr Ng and the other Ministers signed a Joint Declaration reaffirming the principles and purposes enshrined in the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation; as well as ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional security architecture. They also jointly called on Myanmar President Thein Sein, and had an informal meeting with the Chinese Minister of National Defense General (GEN) Chang Wanquan this afternoon.
The Ministers also issued an ADMM statement expressing condolences and sympathies to the Government and People of the Lao PDR on the tragic plane crash on 17 May 2014 which had taken the lives of several Lao leaders and senior government officials, including Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Lieutenant-General (LG) Douangchay Phichit.
While in Nay Pyi Taw, Dr Ng also held bilateral meetings with Brunei Minister of Energy Yasmin Umar, Malaysian Minister of Defence and Acting Minister of Transport Hishammuddin Hussein, Myanmar Minister of Defence LG Wai Lwin, Philippine Secretary of Defense Voltaire Gazmin, Vietnam's Minister of National Defence GEN Phung Quang Thanh and GEN Chang Wanquan. Dr Ng is accompanied by Permanent Secretary for Defence Development Major-General (NS) Ng Chee Khern and other senior MINDEF officials.
Dr Ng (left) meeting with Brunei Minister of Energy Yasmin Umar on the sidelines of the 8th ADMM.
Dr Ng (left) meeting with Myanmar Minister of Defence Lieutenant-General Wai Lwin on the sidelines of the 8th ADMM.
Dr Ng (right) meeting with Philippine Secretary of Defense Voltaire Gazmin on the sidelines of the 8th ADMM.
Dr Ng (right) meeting with Vietnamese Minister of National Defence General Phung Quang Thanh on the sidelines of the 8th ADMM.
Dr Ng (left) meeting with Chinese Minister of National Defense General Chang Wanquan on the sidelines of the 8th ADMM.
Dr Ng (first from the right) and the other ASEAN Defence Ministers in an informal meeting with Chinese Minister of National Defense General Chang Wanquan.
Dr Ng (left) meeting with Myanmar President Thein Sein on the sidelines of the 8th ADMM.
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