ARF discusses disaster issues

ARF discusses disaster issues

BANDUNG: Representatives from 23 member countries of the ASEAN
Regional Forum (ARF) began a two-day meeting here on Thursday to
discuss civil-military cooperation in the handling of natural
disasters.

The fifth Intersessional Meeting on Disaster Relief is
expected to produce a document focusing on cooperation in dealing
with disasters that will be adopted by the 13rd ministerial
meeting of ARF nations next year.

"During the forum, there will be an exchange of ideas and
experiences in handling disasters and on the need for the
transfer of knowledge among ARF members," said Herijanto
Soeprapto, the director general of Asia-Pacific and Africa at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Harijanto, who opened the meeting at Bandung's Preanger Hotel,
said two ARF members -- Vietnam and the Philippines -- had not
send delegates for "technical reasons". --JP