SINGAPORE CALLS FOR COOPERATION TO DEAL WITH MARITIME THREATS

By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah

SINGAPORE, May 18 (Bernama) -- International cooperation is needed to deal
with maritime security threats, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Defence Teo Chee Hean said Wednesday.

He said the complexity of the threats required responses that cut across
traditional inter-agency boundaries.

Stressing the advantage of "unity of effort" across countries, he said:
"This allows for the pooling of capacity and resources and for more varied
expertise, reach and ideas."

He was opening the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference
Asia 2011 at the Changi Exhibition Centre.

More than 45 navies and maritime enforcement agencies and 165 exhibitors
from around the world are taking part in the eighth IMDEX Asia.

Teo said he was encouraged by the participation and noted that IMDEX Asia
“has grown to become a key platform for the exchange of views on developments in
the maritime defence arena.”

In conjunction with the exhibition, the Singapore navy would host the
Maritime Information-Sharing Exercise and the Western Pacific Maritime Security
Exercise.

Twenty warships from 12 countries are taking part in the IMDEX Asia 2011
Warships Display at the Changi naval base.