February 20, 2009
Bangkok (ASTV Manager Online) – Thailand is going to host the third ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting in Chonburi at the end of this month.
The event will take place on February 25-27 in Chonburi and run from Febuary 27 until March 1 in Phetchaburi.
Gen Vitthavas Rachatanant revealed that the meeting was to promote cooperation between the member nations.
It is believed this will be a major pace to boost the military cooperation to be equivalent to foreign affairs and economic cooperation.
Leaders from the ten countries together with ASEAN secretary-general will meet to consider and approve four documents so that they can be further proposed to the ASEAN Summit.
The first ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting took place in Malaysia in 2006 while the second meeting in Singapore in 2008.
Thai defence ministry plans to sign the joint declaration during the third meeting. The declaration includes three major issues: the use of military assets, principles for membership, and defence establishment and cooperation on untraditional security.
