[M&C]
Jakarta - Defence ministers from the Association
of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed Thursday to strengthen
cooperation in the military industry sector to reduce reliance for
weapons on outside sources.
'There is an urgent need for ASEAN
member states to strengthen defence industrial and technological
capabilities,' Indonesian Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said at
the end of the meeting.
'Our collaboration will provide
opportunities to promote technological sharing based on the principle
of flexible, voluntary and non-binding participation,' he added.
ASEAN countries spend a total of 25 billion dollars annually on
defence equipment and a regional military industry collaboration could
reduce the cost to 12.5 billion dollars per year by 2030, Malaysian
Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
'Defence equipment
trade among ASEAN countries could be an embryo for the creation of an
ASEAN defence industry that is strong and independent,' he said on
Wednesday.
On Thursday, Ahmad said such collaboration could
involve joint ventures between government and private companies, equity
participation and technology transfers.
Yusgiantoro said
Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, all ASEAN members, had
established defence industries, but the region remained a net importer
of weapons.
Yusgiantoro said threats such as terrorism,
piracy, illegal migration and energy scarcity were all important
reasons for ASEAN to strengthen internal cooperation.
'All
these challenges are expected to increase in intensity in the future
and will entail the involvement of the defence sector,' he said in a
speech opening the conference.
Yusgiantoro also said the
ministers agreed on an Indonesian and Thai proposal for a regional
network of peacekeeping centres as part of efforts to maintain peace
and stability in the region.
The network will facilitate
cooperation in peacekeeping and conduct planning, training and exchange
of knowledge with the aim of developing a regional arrangement,
Yusgiantoro said.
Other ASEAN members are Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam.
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