Phnom Penh (FN), Jan. 18 – ASEAN secretary general Dato Lim Jock Hoi supported Cambodian Defense Ministry to host ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in 2022, and pledged to work closely with ASEAN members.

ASEAN general secretary spoke during the courtesy call on Cambodian defense minister Tea Banh at Ministry of National Defense on 17 January 2022.

As the rotating chair of the ASEAN defense meetings, minister Tea Banh is committed to making the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting and related meetings a success.

Tea Banh informed Lim Jock Hoi that Cambodia is ready and plans to hold physical meetings at the Ministry of Defense and in some provinces due to Cambodia’s effective control of the COVID19 outbreak.

"Although Cambodia has already prepared relevant documents for the meetings, Cambodia still needs additional inputs from ASEAN countries, especially from the ASEAN Secretariat, on the content and the administration,” minister Tea Banh underlined.

He continued, “I requested the ASEAN secretary general to continue to facilitate all matters related to the defense sector, especially the three conceptual papers, including the cooperation of the ASEAN defense to prevent the spread of COVID19, the participation in the ASEAN Women's Peacekeeping Operations, Peace and Security, and the establishment of the cooperation of the ASEAN Defense University and the joint statement.”

Cambodia so far received a request to organize an informal meeting of ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus 1, which includes Russia and Japan.

Lim Jock Hoi thanked Cambodian defense minister for the warmest welcome and congratulated Cambodia for assuming the host of ADMM and the ADMM-Plus.

Lim pledges to set up a special task force to work with the Ministry of National Defense’s ASEAN Affairs Department.
=FRESH NEWS