The Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson, Minister for Defence:
I will visit Singapore this weekend to address one of the region’s most important annual strategic conferences.
The Fifth Asia Security Conference (commonly called the Shangri La Dialogue) is hosted by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
The Shangri La Dialogue has established itself as the premier event in the Asia Pacific for discussing key security issues with counterparts from around the region and the globe.
The dialogue attracts high level representation from the Asia Pacific, including Australia, South East Asian nations, Japan, Republic of Korea, Pakistan, New Zealand, UK, US, France and Canada.
I will lead Australia’s delegation, which also includes Secretary for Defence, Mr Ric Smith and Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston.
On Sunday June 4, I will deliver an address to the conference on ‘Constructing a Regional Security Community’.
Following the Shangri La Dialogue, I will attend a Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
The FPDA is a long-standing security Arrangement between Australia, Malaysia, Singapore the UK and New Zealand, and is the region’s only multilateral security Arrangement.
The Defence Minister’ Meeting is a triennial event which allows Defence Ministers from the five nations to discuss security issues affecting our nations, and to examine development of the Arrangements.
We will discuss a range of issues, including how the FPDA can best adapt to combat unconventional threats and to contribute to regional maritime security.
Our experience working together in the FPDA makes a positive contribution to regional security by improving the five nations’ ability to work together in a range of scenarios, including disaster relief and coalition operations.
In the wake of the FPDA Ministers’ Meeting, I will take the opportunity to visit Australian forces base in Malaysia at RMAF Butterworth.
