Singapore has called on the international security community to move beyond dialogue to building practical cooperation.
Speaking on the final day of the Shangri-la Dialogue, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean says the strong web of friendship was evident during multi-national relief operations when the tsunami hit two years ago, and more recently following the Yogyakarta earthquake.
Meanwhile, Malaysia has also proposed the setting up of a regional-based humanitarian relief coordination centre.
By S. Ramesh
SINGAPORE : Singapore has called on the international security community to move beyond dialogue to building practical cooperation.
Speaking on the final day of the Shangri-la Dialogue, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean says the strong web of friendship was evident during multi-national relief operations when the tsunami hit two years ago, and more recently following the Yogyakarta earthquake.
Meanwhile, Malaysia has also proposed the setting up of a regional-based humanitarian relief coordination centre.
The security landscape confronting nations today is complex and filled with uncertainties.
So there is a pressing need for countries to come together to pool their knowledge, experience and ideas.
Teo Chee Hean, Singapore's Defence Minister said: "This is true whether the adversary is a terrorist or a virus, or whether we are just trying to face the forces of nature. Multilateral dialogue is an important process for defining and clarifying the regional security agenda. While we cannot expect full agreement on every issue, the areas of agreement are often significant. And where there is agreement, there is a basis for us to move a step forward."
"That next step must be to productively channel the momentum generated by shared perspectives and shared interests to the development of practical cooperation and the building of capacities to tackle the threats and challenges. We need to look at how we can bring the defence community's practical and action-oriented focus to bear on the new transnational security threats that we all face, so that the security of all our countries is enhanced through such cooperation."
Mr Teo noted that while regional countries may not agree on everything, the many areas of agreement could provide a basis for the cooperation and collaboration so essential for a successful fight against the threat.
Participants at the Shangri-la dialogue acknowledged that countries in the Asia-Pacific security community have, over the years, built up a firm foundation of trust amongst themselves.
But they also feel that more needs to be done to tighten mechanisms to respond quickly, and in a more coordinated way, when disaster strikes.
Mr Teo said: "If we can work out some of these procedures and have some better way of working together beforehand, we might be able to save more lives, bring more comfort a little earlier."
One proposal at the meeting is the setting up of a regional-based humanitarian relief coordination centre.
Malaysia says it'll have civilian and military forces ready in the event disaster strikes in any part of the region.
Najib Tun Razak, Malaysian Defence Minister, said: "Training and contingency plans could be drawn out and in the event something happens and help is needed, then this centre could be activated. If we put our minds together and create this centre, then the security village that I talk of would have a well-meaning and a purposeful existence. I am confident that we have the political will to realise this."
Speakers at the Shangri-la Dialogue also agreed that the security and well-being of countries are now more intimately-linked.
Hence, the need for better understanding and working closely to meet national security priorities. - CNA/ch/ct
