FPDA SHOULD CONTINUE EVOLVING IN REGIONAL SECURITY

CYBERJAYA, June 2 (Bernama) -- The Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA)
defence ministers agreed that the FPDA should continue to evolve as an
important component of the regional security architecture.

Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said FPDA members also
reiterated the need to ensure that the arrangement continued to remain relevant
to the evolving demands of the changing strategic environment, as well as the
needs of its members.

The seventh FPDA meeting was chaired by Ahmad Zahid and attended by
Singapore
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean, Australian Defence
Minister Joel Fitsgibbon, New Zealand Defence Minister Dr Wayne Mapp and United
Kingdom International Defence and Security Minister Baroness Ann Taylor.

Ahmad Zahid said the ministers also commended the progress made in enhancing
the capacity of members in addressing non-conventional threats through the
continued inclusion of non-conventional elements into FPDA exercise serials.

"They were pleased with the progress to enhance the scope of FPDA exercises,
particularly in capacity-building for humanitarian assistance and disaster
relief," he told reporters at a press conference here Monday.

FPDA was formed in 1971 to cater for the external defence of Malaysia and
Singapore, following the withdrawal of the British military forces.

Besides the two countries, other members are Australia, New Zealand and the
United Kingdom.

Asked whether FPDA was interested in expanding to other countries, Ahmad
Zahid said, at the moment, it did not have any such intension.

Teo said the current membership was quite unique in that members had a
certain historical closeness, which allowed them to work closely with each
other.

-- BERNAMA