Manila (VNA) – Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich hascalled on the ASEAN countries and partners to have joint efforts, shared perspectivesand strategic trust, in dealing with current challenges to maintain a peacefuland stable environment.

Common perspectives and strategic trust can be reached and reinforcedonly when cooperation is strengthened and made practical with concreteactivities, General Lich said while addressing the fourth ASEAN DefenceMinisters’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) in Clark city, the Philippines on October 24.

“Though peace, cooperation and development are currently the major trendsof the world, we are still encountering challenges, including those that haveever never been dealt with in civilization and development of humankind,” hesaid.

He named challenges in security instability as well as the risk ofconflicts and terrorism, climate change, nuclear problems in the KoreanPeninsula, and sovereign disputes at sea, along with non-traditional securitythreats.

He added that issues related to fishermen will also affect bilateralrelationships if they are not addressed properly, stressing the need to educatefishermen and avoid the brutal treatment or use of force when long-term legal solutionsare being designed.

General Lich said that one of the objectives of the ADMM and ADMM+  ismaintaining an environment of peace, stability and development in the SoutheastAsian region and Asia-Pacific in general so all parties should whole-heartedlyand responsibly engage in the mechanisms, with focus on keeping solidarity,unity and central role of ASEAN.

Over the past years, many partners beyond the bloc have showed theirinterest in getting involved in the ADMM+, he said, suggesting that the meetingshould come up with documents defining norms and criteria of choosing members,initially observers and expert groups.

As Vietnam will take the rotating ASEAN Chair in 2020, its defenceministry was preparing for organizing ASEAN defence-military events in thatyear, including the 14th ADMM and the 7th ADMM+  as well as acommemoration event marking the 10th anniversary of the ADMM+, Lich said,expressing his hope to receive support and experience sharing of all members.

Addressing the event with the participation of officials from ASEAN’spartner countries of Australia, New Zealand, China, the Republic of Korea,Japan, India, the US and Russia, ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh said mechanismswith ASEAN playing the leading role, like ASEAN 1, ARF, ADMM and ADMM+, havebeen bringing into full play their efficiency and constituting themselves animportant factor to maintain a peaceful environment in the region, referring toADMM+  as a practical cooperation forum contributing to keeping stability inAsia-Pacific.

He noted that the East Sea issue has still been given priority during ASEANdiscussions in the past year, as evidenced by the adoption of the draft of theCode of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) and the building of mechanisms to buildtrust among countries involved to deal with emergency matters in the East Sea.

Minh added that trans-national crimes, counter-terrorism, drugtrafficking fight and cyber security are also among concerns of the association.The ASEAN Secretary General said that following the 11th ADMM onOctober 30, the first phase of the ASEAN Direct Infrastructure (ADI) has becomeoperational from October 24.

Participants at the fourth ADMM+  agreed that the ADMM+  has played an increasinglyimportant role in maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development inthe region and the world.

They gave much space to exchange viewpoints on security—defence issuesin the region and the world, including terrorism, extreme violation and recentdevelopments in the Korean Peninsula as well as non-traditional securitychallenges.

Many countries highlighted the significance of abiding by internationallaw in settling maritime disputes, while showing support to the handling of theconflicts through peaceful measures in line with international law.

They also affirmed the importance of effective implementation of theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and the soon reaching ofthe COC, thus building trust and keeping peace, security and stability in theregion.

At the meeting, Philippines Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana informedthat from 2018, the ADMM+ will be held annually.

He also handed over the ADMM and ADMM+  Chair to Singaporean Defence Minister NgEng Heng as Singapore will be the ASEAN Chair in 2018.-VNA