The 7th ASEAN Chief of Defence Forces
Informal Meeting (ACDFIM-7) will be held in Hanoi on March 24-27,
aiming to boost the effectiveness of cooperation among regional armies
in response to non-traditional security threats.
ACDFIM-7 is among 13 meetings being held by the Viietnamese Defence
Ministry in 2010 as Vietnam officially holds the ASEAN Chair for one
year, Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Tuan Dung, Vice Chairman of the General
Political Department of the Vietnam People’s Army, said at a press
conference on March 12 in Hanoi .
Senior officers from 10 ASEAN armies and defence attachés of ASEAN
countries located in Hanoi will attend the meeting, he said, adding
they are expected to approve the ACDFIM-7 Solution and a plan of action
for 2010-2011 at the end of the meeting.
Lieut. Gen. Dung said successfully organising ACDFIM-7 and other
defence and military meetings would help promote the image of the
people, land and army of Vietnam on its development track. It will also
convey a message to international friends that the Vietnam People’s
Army is responsible and actively contributes to building an ASEAN of
solidarity, unity, cooperation and mutual assistance.
This will be a chance for Vietnam to emphasise its defence policy of
peace, self-defence, as well as the country’s desire for peace,
stability, cooperation with ASEAN countries and other nations in the
world, Dung said.
Defence and military meetings, including ACDFIM-7, play a special
important role in defence, security and military cooperation among
ASEAN countries and ensure a peaceful and stable environment in the
Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific regions.
They contribute to building mutual understanding, trust, solidarity and
friendship among ASEAN armies and stress the role of ASEAN army in
activities regarding sovereignty protection, national interests and
keeping national stability and security.
ACDFIM was initially set up as a forum regarding trust-building and
informal connectivity and then it turns from dialogue into practical
cooperation due to the increasing demand on cooperation among ASEAN
armies./.