ADSOM Working Group convenes teleconference

At the teleconference (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - The ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting Working Group (ADSOM WG) wrapped up a teleconference on May 12.

Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi following the event, Head of the Ministry of Defence’s Department of Foreign Relations Lieutenant General Vu Chien Thang, who is also Head of the ADSOM WG Vietnam, said the event was an initiative by Vietnam and not part of plans for ASEAN meetings and conference this year.

He said the meeting was a success, with delegates discussing the ASEAN cooperation plan 2020 and the effectiveness of several initiatives as well as preparations for an online epidemic response drill of ASEAN military medical forces. Delegates also reviewed the 2020-2022 working plan of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the 2020-2022 action plan of the ADMM Plus Experts’ Working Groups.

Another important agenda item was discussions on preparations for ADSOM at the deputy-ministerial level, scheduled for May 15, the outcome of which will be summed up and submitted to Ministry of Defence leaders for consideration.

Regarding preparations for the online drill, which is in compliance with the Joint Declaration of the ADMM Retreat in Hanoi in February, Thang said the Department of Military Medicine and the ASEAN Centre of Military Medicine had presented ideas to the ADSOM WG, and won approval of delegates.

Those ideas will be tabled for discussions at the upcoming ADSOM.

The online drill is scheduled for May, with ASEAN and ASEAN Plus member states and several observer countries taking part./.