16 nations in anti-mine action

16 nations in anti-mine action

SINGAPORE (AFP): A 16-nation anti-mine exercise involving the
world's top naval powers formally opened here on Tuesday with a
call for greater co-operation to keep the Western Pacific safe
for global shipping.

Fifteen ships and 1,500 personnel are taking part in the 12-
day inaugural Western Pacific Mine Countermeasure Exercise and
First Western Pacific Diving Exercise.

Australia, China, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia,
Papua New Guinea, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the
United States and Vietnam have sent teams and vessels to the
exercise.

Singapore's Minister of State for Defense David Lim said in an
opening speech that the exercise was "part of the growing web of
multilateral exercises and interactions in the region."

"By promoting opportunities for interaction, (exercises) help
promote greater dialogue and bilateral ties between countries in
the Asia Pacific region.

"And in doing so, they strengthen the framework of
multilateral co-operation that underpins a stable and secure
environment conducive for social and economic development," he
said.

A secure maritime environment is important to Asia's continued
economic development as more than half of the world's shipping
tonnage passes through the Malacca Straits, Singapore Straits and
the South China Sea, Lim said.

"Clearly, the safe and secure maritime navigation of the sea
lines of communication, or SLOCs, is vital to the continued
economic development and prosperity of the region and the world,"
he said.