THE 7th IISS ASIA SECURITY SUMMIT
SHANGRI-LA DIALOGUE
Singapore
Friday 30 May 2008
CLOSING REMARKS
Dr John Chipman, Director-General and Chief Executive, IISS
Dr John Chipman
Minister Teo, thank you very much. I am delighted that the Shangri-La dialogue is a fully accepted and valued part of the regional security architecture, all the more so because of its trans-regional and informal quality. I want to thank all the ministers for the time they put into their presentations and for the effort they put into their private and multilateral meetings at this dialogue, the full results of which will be emerging over the next weeks and months as they meet each other in other formations. I want to thank the Government of Singapore and our sponsors for making this event possible. We have had the tremendous support of many government agencies in Singapore to help with the logistics of this conference. We have had tremendous support also from the ministries of the 27 countries that have formally participated in this meeting.
For my part, I would also like to especially thank the small group of eight people at the IISS who helped bring the 292 delegates and the nearly 700 people that fully comprised the delegations and supporters to this event here in Singapore. It is also important for us to note that as the IISS, an organisation with an international character, perspective and disposition, we also will be taking away from this meeting, as we have from previous ones, a more informed understanding of the different perspectives on regional security in this part of the world, which I hope will be reflected in the very many different types of research products that we produce, both thematic and specific, that touch on the security concerns of this region. We will continue to work with as many of the local opinion formers, analysts and governments that we can to ensure that the IISS work carries that international perspective, which gives it the authority that it enjoys.
We are delighted to be able to continue the Shangri-La dialogue process informally throughout the months intervening the actual holding of the Shangri-La dialogue and we will continue to consult directly with all the governments to ensure that their interests are advanced at further Shangri-La dialogues. I am delighted to announce that the eighth IISS Shangri-La dialogue is scheduled to take place between 5 June and 7 June 2009. I would like to again thank the ministers and government delegations and all the other delegates for their tremendous participation in this Shangri-La dialogue. I wish you good remaining deliberations and a safe trip home.