New Zealand Defence Force
Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa

Media Release

17 November 2006

Security Conference Unites Defence Chiefs

24 Defence Chiefs from Asia-Pacific nations met in Kuala Lumpur this week for a three day conference to discuss security challenges and cooperation in the region.

Co-hosted by Malaysian Defence Chief Admiral Mohamed Anwar Mohamed Nor, and United States Pacific Command Commander Admiral William J. Fallon, this is the ninth annual conference of its kind.

The theme of the conference was 'Meeting Security Challenges with Capabilities and Co-operation”, and discussion included a wide range of topics from the escalation threat posed by ballistic missile defence, through to peacekeeping and disaster relief operations.

The conference was Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae’s first major multilateral engagement as the Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force, and he welcomed the opportunity to inform his peers about New Zealand’s involvement in the Asia Pacific region generally, and in Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands in particular.

It proved to be an excellent opportunity for confidence and relationship building across the region, said LT Gen Mateparae

"Confidence building measures are an essential part of security considerations. One outcome is being able to pick up the phone and discuss issues with my equivalents"
Nations attending the event included Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, France, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the United States and Malaysia.

ENDS

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