KL says E. Asia must defend itself

KL says E. Asia must defend itself

WASHINGTON (AFP): Asian countries should rely on themselves
for their security instead of looking to a superpower such as the
United States, Malaysia's defense minister said on Tuesday.

"It is about time that the security and defense of the region
is taken care of by the regional states themselves," said Defense
Minister Mohamed Najib. "We are the best guarantor of our own
regional defense."

Najib's strongly worded statement to a gathering of U.S. and
Malaysian policy makers reflected a growing sense of self-
confidence among East Asian countries that want to provide their
own solutions to security and trade problems.

The ministerial meeting of the Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN) in Bangkok next month should be the first step
for building confidence in the region and should be followed up
by joint military exercises, Najib said.