VietNamNet Bridge – At the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Hanoi on May 11, Minister of Defence Phung Quang Thanh said that ASEAN countries will jointly patrol the sea and set up a boundry line among their naval forces.

“Bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation within ASEAN has been developing positively and more practically in combining and mobilizing resources to cope with non-traditional security matters in the region,” said General Thanh.

ASEAN armies are cooperating by jointly patrolling in the sea, on the mainland, setting up a hot line among naval and border-guard forces, exchanging information, cooperating to combat terrorism and transnational crime, and search and rescue operations in the sea and on the mainland.

ASEAN countries will organize rehearsals on searching and rescue, charity assistance and relief efforts in case of natural disasters, etc.

Thanh said that security in ASEAN is closely attached to security in Asia and the Pacific as well as global security. Defense and security cooperation between ASEAN and its partners is necessary to ensure that all state members to have peaceful and stable environment for sustainable development.

At the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting, ministers will celebrate the recent development in ASEAN cooperation, the results of the 7^th unofficial meeting of ASEAN defense commanders in Hanoi in late March, the results of the 4^th ASEAN high-ranking defense officials’ meeting in late April in Hanoi and share their views about regional security and their defense policies.

The ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting is the forum at the highest level for defense leaders of ASEAN countries and the foundation to boost cooperation among ASEAN armed forces.

PV