Malaysia to propose ASEAN defense ministers meeting<\/p>\n
Agencies, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Malaysia is calling on Southeast Asian defense ministers to meet
\nnext year for the first time to discuss regional security, news
\nreports said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"The time has come for us to also discuss defense issues and
\nnot just foreign or economic policies,\" the Mingguan Malaysia
\nnewspaper quoted Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations has never
\nheld a meeting of defense ministers due to its policy of not
\ninterfering in each other's internal affairs.<\/p>\n
However, Syed Hamid said discussing security issues would not
\nviolate that principle.<\/p>\n
\"It also does not go against the ASEAN Cooperation Agreement
\nand is in line with the United Nations Charter,\" the paper quoted
\nhim as saying.<\/p>\n
Syed Hamid reiterated his statement on Friday that ASEAN
\ncountries should be open with each other in discussing internal
\nsecurity problems, since they could affect other countries in the
\nregion, the national news agency Bernama said.<\/p>\n
\"We are of the view that whether we like it or not, an
\nincident (in one country) has spillover effects,\" he said.
\n\"Therefore, we cannot close our ears and eyes and take the don't-
\nwant-to-know attitude.\"<\/p>\n
Syed Hamid did not elaborate on the kind of openness Malaysia
\nwould like to see in discussions on security, but he has
\npreviously said that ASEAN members should share intelligence and
\ncrack down on extremist groups deemed to be a cross-border
\nthreat.<\/p>\n
Southeast Asia faces security threats from militant groups
\nsuch as the al-Qaeda-linked Jamaah Islamiyah and the Philippines-
\nbased Abu Sayyaf, which have been accused of carrying out
\nbombings, kidnappings and other attacks in the region.<\/p>\n
Malaysia, meanwhile, is concerned about violence in
\nneighboring Thailand, whose southern provinces are in the grip of
\nan Islamic insurgency.<\/p>\n
Mingguan Malaysia said Syed Hamid proposed that the defense
\nministers meet next year in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian officials
\ncould not be reached on Sunday for comment.<\/p>\n
The minister also said Malaysia had proposed a separate
\nmeeting of defense ministers at the ASEAN Regional Forum level,
\nwhich encompasses ASEAN and 15 dialogue partners, including the
\nUnited States, India, Japan and China.<\/p>\n
A meeting of ARF foreign ministers in July concluded its
\nannual round of talks by pledging to step up intelligence sharing
\non terrorism.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/malaysia-to-propose-asean-defense-ministers-meeting-1447893297",
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