1. Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen hosted 21 visiting Ministers and their representatives to a luncheon on 2 June 2012, in conjunction with the 11th Shangri-La Dialogue. The luncheon provided a valuable platform for the Ministers to engage in informal and frank discussions on current security and defence issues.
2. The Ministers reaffirmed the value of the Shangri-La Dialogue as an open and inclusive platform for the defence ministers, senior officials and prominent security experts of the region to come together informally on an annual basis and engage one another on salient regional defence and security issues. The Ministers agreed that the Shangri-La Dialogue provided an important opportunity for all to share thoughts on how to enhance defence cooperation and relationship to promote security and prosperity.
3. The Ministers welcomed the US’ continued presence and engagement of the region, which represented a reaffirmation of the US’ longstanding interest in and commitment to the Asia-Pacific region.
4. The Ministers also discussed several key security challenges facing the region and beyond, including the nuclear security situation in the Korean Peninsula, maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean and the ongoing South China Sea territorial disputes. The Ministers further welcomed the good progress made in the democratisation process in Myanmar.
5. The Ministers noted the key outcomes of the 6th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) that was recently concluded in Phnom Penh. The Ministers recognised the importance and usefulness of regional security platforms such as the ADMM and the ADMM-Plus for enhancing practical cooperation amongst the defence establishments to address security challenges of mutual interest.
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