Military chiefs invited to Manila

Military chiefs invited to Manila

MANILA (AFP): Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member nations' military chiefs-of-staff have been invited to a joint meeting in the Philippine capital next week, organizers said here yesterday.

The "collegial meeting" of the military chiefs, scheduled for May 21, will take place as part of a conference of the ASEAN Defense and Technology Exchange (ADTEX), a private group of defense specialists.

ADTEX organizers however said they could not say which of the ASEAN military chiefs had confirmed their attendance or what they would be discussing in their meeting.

Private defense specialists are scheduled to discuss the political and security implications of an expanded ASEAN at the ADTEX conference on May 20.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.