ID :
376194
Tue, 08/04/2015 - 04:57
Auther :

Special ASEAN Meeting To Discuss Maritime Security In South China Sea

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- A special defence cooperation meeting involving ASEAN member countries, which will discuss the issues concerning maritime security in the South China Sea, will be organised in a bid to combat piracy, says Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. He said the meeting would involve the participation of six ASEAN countries, namely Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam. "We will also discuss the proposal to forge cooperation to monitor and share the information on maritime security in the South China Sea. "Through the meeting, we hope Malaysia, as the Chair of ASEAN, will become an exemplary model to other countries in addressing security issues through a moderation approach," he said when addressing the ministry's staff during their monthly assembly at Wisma Perwira Angkatan Tentera here Monday. Hishammuddin, however, did not disclose the date of the proposed meeting. The minister said the hijacking of the Malaysian merchant ship, MT Orkim Harmony, which was laden with 6,000 tonnes of RON 95 petrol last June, proved that there were weaknesses in the maritime surveillance and security in the ASEAN regional waters. -- BERNAMA

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