MULTILATERAL DIALOGUE & COOPERATION ESSENTIAL FOR STABLE ASIA-PACIFIC

Speaking at the 6th Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS) on 27 Apr, Senior Minister of State for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman stressed the need for Asia-Pacific countries to communicate and work together in order to build a peaceful and strong region amid growing geopolitical uncertainties.

Noting that regional trends of rising military spending and the prevalence of nationalistic attitudes could lead to an increased risk of conflict, he called on countries to "make a conscious effort to facilitate multilateral interactions and military-to-military engagements".

This will allow countries to "gain a greater appreciation of each other's worldviews and constraints, open more trusted channels of communication, and reduce the risk of miscalculations and mistakes", said Dr Maliki.

He was talking about the topic Asia-Pacific: Balance of Interests or a Military Standoff? as part of a panel that included Chinese Deputy Chief of Joint Staff Major-General Shao Yuanming, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana, Lao Minister of National Defense Lieutenant-General (LG) Chansamone Chanyalath, Vietnamese Deputy Chief of the General Staff LG Pham Hong Huong, Rector of Moscow State Institute of International Relations Rector Anatoly Torkunov and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Secretary-General Rashid Alimov.

Dr Maliki cited the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting, the Five Power Defence Arrangements and the Shangri-La Dialogue as examples of platforms that have helped regional countries to build trust, share knowledge and boost collaboration.

"It is critically important for us to proactively engage in these multilateral platforms to manage differences, appreciate each other's space, and find common ground in this age where security challenges are becoming increasingly transboundary in nature, and are moving into non-traditional realms like cyber space."

Dr Maliki also highlighted the need for greater cooperation among countries to tackle terrorism. Adding that multilateral platforms could become increasingly vital in dealing with regional terrorist threats effectively, he encouraged countries to "continue lending support to not just sustaining, but proactively growing" them in order to tackle future regional challenges together.

Held from 25 to 27 Apr, the MCIS brings together high-level defence and military leaders from around the world to discuss a range of security issues.

While in Moscow, Dr Maliki also called on Russian Deputy Minister of Defence LG Alexander Fomin and Secretary Lorenzana on the sidelines of the conference.