BOLKIAH GARRISON, Thursday 27 September 2018 – The Ministry of Defence of Brunei Darussalam and Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom conducted the 15th Joint Defence Commission (JDC) meeting at the Officers’ Mess, Bolkiah Garrison, Ministry of Defence of Brunei Darussalam.
The meeting was co-chaired by Captain (Retired) Dato Paduka Abd Rahman bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, RBN, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Brunei Darussalam and Brigadier Stephen McMahon, Head of International Policy Planning (Asia), Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom.
Also present were His Excellency Richard Lindsay, the British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam and Colonel Mike Page, British Defence Adviser to Brunei Darussalam.
During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the close and longstanding defence relations between Brunei Darussalam and the United Kingdom as well as expressed their pleasure on the active defence and military interactions that have taken place in recent months. This is reflected on the visits by HMS Albion; Exercise Setia Kawan III in the presence of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam; the joint delivery of the Regional Jungle Warfare Symposium; and ongoing deep cooperation between the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and British Forces Brunei.
The JDC meeting also discussed on matters of bilateral defence cooperation and exchanged views on areas of mutual interest. The convening of the JDC represents the strong commitment that both sides have towards the overall bilateral defence relationship and significant contributions to regional peace and security.
As part of the programme, Brigadier Stephen McMahon and his delegation also paid a courtesy call on Major General Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, Commander of the RBAF.
Strengthened by the Exchange of Notes and Memorandum of Understanding agreements, the Brunei Darussalam and United Kingdom defence relations encompasses a wide range of interactions including the exchange of visits, joint military exercises, trainings, courses and meetings including the JDC. The JDC was established through the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of a Joint Cooperation on Defence Cooperation signed on 31 December 2002.
MESYUARAT BERSAMA SURUHANJAYA PERTAHANAN KALI KE-15 DI ANTARA NEGARA BRUNEI DARUSSALAM DAN UNITED KINGDOM
BOLKIAH GARISON, Khamis 27 September 2018 – Kementerian Pertahanan Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Kementerian Pertahanan United Kingdom telah mengadakan Mesyuarat Bersama Suruhanjaya Pertahanan (Joint Defence Commission) yang ke-15 di Pegawai Mes, Bolkiah Garison, Kementerian Pertahanan Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Mesyuarat tersebut dipengerusi bersama oleh Kepten (Bersara) Abd Rahman bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, TLDB, Setiausaha Tetap di Kementerian Pertahanan Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Brigadier Stephen McMahon, Ketua Dasar Antarabangsa dan Perancangan (Asia), Kementerian Pertahanan, United Kingdom.
Turut hadir ialah Tuan Yang Terutama Richard Lindsay, Pesuruhjaya Tinggi United Kingdom ke Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Kolonel Mike Page, Penasihat Pertahanan United Kingdom ke Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Semasa mesyuarat itu, kedua-dua belah pihak melahirkan puas hati di atas hubungan pertahanan yang akrab dan sudah lama terjalin di antara Negara Brunei Darussalam dan United Kingdom serta interaksi-interaksi pertahanan dan ketenteraan yang amat aktif. Ini terbukti dari lawatan-lawatan dari HMS Albion; penganjuran Eksesais Setia Kawan III, Regional Jungle Warfare Symposium dan penerusan kerjasama erat di antara Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB) dan British Forces Brunei.
Mesyuarat itu juga membincangkan mengenai dengan bidang-bidang kerjasama pertahanan serta mengongsikan pandangan mengenai dengan isu-isu berkepentingan bersama. Anjuran mesyuarat JDC ini melambangkan komitmen kedua-dua pihak dalam menyumbang ke arah hubungan pertahanan dua hala dan kestabilan sekuriti serantau.
Di samping itu, Brigadier Stephen McMahon dan delegasi beliau juga membuat kunjungan hormat ke atas
Mejar Jeneral Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, Pemerintah ABDB.
Diperkukuhkan dengan perjanjian-perjanjian Pertukaran Nota dan Memorandum Persefahaman, hubungan pertahanan di antara Negara Brunei Darussalam dan United Kingdom merangkumi pelbagai interaksi seperti pertukaran lawatan, latihan-latihan tentera bersama, kursus-kursus, mesyuarat-mesyuarat termasuk Mesyuarat Suruhanjaya Bersama Pertahanan. Mesyuarat itu telah ditubuhkan
setelah penandatanganan Memorandam Persefahaman (MoU) dalam Establishment of Joint Commission for Defence Cooperation oleh kedua-dua pihak pada 31 Disember 2002.