Illustrative image (Source: AFP/VNA) Singapore (VNA) - Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan stressed the need for a comprehensive strategy to fight terrorism regionally and globally.
Luhut Pandjaitan made the remark while giving the keynote address at the fourth International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Fullerton Forum: The Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) Sherpa Meeting in Singapore on January 25.
The minister spoke about the recent terrorist attacks by the Islamic State (IS).
"We need a systematic action plan against the IS and other terrorist organisations through a combination of soft and hard approaches, as well as intelligence cooperation," he said.
Both Luhut Pandjaitan and Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen stressed the importance of Singapore and Indonesia working together with other countries in the region to respond to threats posed by radical groups. Hen said that no country would be able to minimise these risks alone.
The forum is a meeting of defence officials in the region meant to pave the way for the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, which typically takes place in June.
Nearly 70 delegates from 22 countries are participating in this year's Fullerton Forum, which is being held from January 24-26.
Participants will discuss the stabilisation of major power relations in the Asia-Pacific, emerging security threats such as cyber security and terrorism, and the prospects for conflict management in the Asia-Pacific.
Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Duc Hai, Director of the National Defence Strategy Institute, leads the Vietnamese delegation.
Apart from delivering a speech at the forum, the delegation will hold bilateral talks on regional matters, including the East Sea issue, with a number of countries to seek the best ways to ensure peace and security in the region.-VNA
