May 30th 2002
Singapore is to play host to about 150 of the world’s top defense officials and experts this weekend.
The global array of top military brass will be attending a conference in this city-state over the weekend to explore issues at the core of world security, among them terrorism, arms proliferation and China’s growing role on the global stage.
The symposium, hosted by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, will give the U.S. delegation – led by Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz – a chance to push the Bush administration’s anti-terror agenda to Asian defense officials.
It’s also expected to be a forum for the region’s security agencies to coordinate efforts and possibly discuss military hardware.
North Korea’s nuclear program is likely to be raised, given that U.S. President George W. Bush has labelled Pyongyang part of an “axis of evil” along with Iraq and Iran. South Korea will send a delegation to the conference but North Korea will not.
“It’s not the event that’s important,” said Robert Karniol, Asia editor for the respected defense industry publication Jane’s Defence Weekly, “It’s the people.”
Zhan Maohai, China’s director general of foreign affairs, and British Secretary of State for Defense Geoffrey Hoon will also attend. Top defense officials are also expected from Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.
Scheduled presentations include one on U.S. defense strategy in the Asia Pacific region by Wolfowitz and two members of the U.S. Senate – Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Republican Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.
China’s Zhan will speak on his country’s security policy, while ministers from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines will present their views on managing the threat of terrorism in Southeast Asia.
Sideline business
Malaysia and Singapore have arrested dozens of people suspected of having links to the al-Qaida terror network and plotting to blow up Western targets in the region. The United States has sent military observers to help train Philippine troops to fight Muslim extremists in that country.
Organizers of the conference are leaving plenty of time for meetings between ministers on the sidelines, where the most important business is often conducted at such international conferences.
One potential subject of such informal meetings is the threat of war between India and Pakistan, which comes as U.S. officials are pushing Pakistan to persist in helping destroy the terrorist al-Qaida network.
Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes has said he would come, but Pakistani officials are not expected to attend.
The meeting, which runs from Friday to Sunday, will be kicked off by Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew. The elder statesman recently sparked off a diplomatic tiff between his country and Indonesia when he said that Muslim terrorists are finding a haven in the neighbouring country.
Indonesia’s Defense Minister Matoril Abdul Djalil is expected to attend.
