Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh is leading a Vietnamesedelegation to attend the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)Retreat, which opened in Seam Riep, Cambodia on November 16.

In his opening speech, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and DefenceMinister Tea Bank hailed the practical and useful cooperation amongASEAN defence forces in recent years.

He said no singlenation can solve all the security issues by itself. As a result, ASEAN’srole in building regional security has been recognised and highlyvalued by international community.

Security related issues arethe key factors in strengthening and maintaining stability in theregion and the world, Tea Banh said, adding that to shoulder theresponsibility, the ADMM has made every effort to realise the approvedtargets and concepts.

At the meeting, ASEAN defence leadersreviewed the outcomes of regional defence-security cooperation andbetween ASEAN and regional and non-regional partners in 2012.

One of them is that ASEAN agreed to increase the frequency of the ADMMPlus from once every three years to once every two years.

Delegatesalso discussed and adopted a joint statement on enhancing ASEAN unityfor a harmonious and secure community and a draft concepts proposed byCambodia on an ASEAN civil war free zone.

The meeting supported Brunei’s Defence Minister to host the 2013 ASEAN and regional defence meetings.

A meeting between ASEAN defence ministers and US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta is scheduled for the same day.-VNA