Defense Minister Prabowo At ADMM: ASEAN Must Maintain Neutrality Amidst Big Power Competition

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto at the 16th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)/PHOTO: Public Relations Bureau of the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Defense

JAKARTA - Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto called the 16th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) a multilateral forum that encourages defense cooperation in building mutual trust.

At this meeting, Defense Minister Prabowo invited the defense ministers of ASEAN countries to put aside differences and work hand in hand in safeguarding ASEAN's interests.

"We must not allow outside powers to divide ASEAN and drag us into their competition. The future of ASEAN and our people lies on our shoulders, and I believe we all share the same view that we want peace and not conflict, cooperation rather than competition," said Defense Minister Prabowo in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, quoted from a written statement from the Public Relations Bureau of the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Defense, Wednesday, June 22.

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto at the 16th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)/PHOTO: Public Relations Bureau of the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Defense

Minister of Defense Prabowo in this meeting again called for the strategic value of ASEAN as one of the regional security architectures that contribute to the maintenance of peace, security, and stability.

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto also emphasized the importance of maintaining ASEAN's centrality in the midst of great power competition in the region.

The meeting was chaired by the Chairman of ADMM Cambodia as Chairman of the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense, Kingdom of Cambodia, HE Samdech Pichey Sena Tea Banh, and attended by defense ministers of ASEAN countries.