BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Wednesday 28 August 2013 – At the sideline of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat, an ASEAN-United States Informal Meeting took place this afternoon at the Royal Brunei Golf and Country Club, Jerudong.
The Meeting was chaired by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Awang Haji Mohd Yasmin bin Haji Umar, Minister of Energy at the Prime Minister’s Office. U.S. Defense Secretary, the Honourable Chuck Hagel, attended the meeting with other ASEAN Defence Ministers.
ASEAN Defence Ministers welcomed the U.S. engagement in the region and expressed appreciation on its contribution to the ADMM-Plus. Both sides exchanged views on the overall regional security and defence issues including strategic relations in the region. They reaffirmed their commitment to maintain peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region. In this regard, the Ministers reiterated the ADMM-Plus as the platform to strengthen their defence cooperation and engagement.
This is the third ASEAN-U.S. Defence Ministers’ informal meeting. The first meeting was held in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2011 and the second meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia in 2012.
ASEAN and the U.S. continue to enhance their close partnership on political and security cooperation through regular dialogue and consultation at all levels. This includes summits, ministerial meetings, senior officials and experts meetings, as well as through broader ASEAN-initiated architecture such as ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit, and the ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue.
The U.S. acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) + 1 Session with the U.S. in Phuket, Thailand on 22 July 2009 which reaffirm the U.S. political and security commitment to the region.
US Secretary of Defence The Honourable Chuck Hagel in a conversation with
Minister of Energy at the Prime Minister’s Office