RI Emphasizes ASEAN Sentrality In ADOSOM And ADOSOM-Plus 2023

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JAKARTA - The Indonesian government which chaired the meeting of senior ASEAN defense sector officials (ADSOM) and eight ASEAN partner countries (ADSOM-Plus) emphasized the ASEAN Sentrality to overcome problems and face challenges in the region.

Secretary General of the Ministry of Defense Marshal Madya (Marsdya) TNI Donny Ermawan Taufanto, who represented the Indonesian government at the two meetings, explained that ASEAN centrality was a guideline because the voices of ASEAN member countries needed to be a priority in order to prevent pressure and intervention from other countries outside the region.

"We have what is called ASEAN Centrality (ASEAN Sentrality), how the voices of ASEAN countries are the main ones in the region so that it becomes a matter of great respect," said Secretary General of the Ministry of Defense as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, August 3.

Menurut dia, beberapa kali disampaikan oleh beberapa negara, negara plus (mitra ASEAN), mereka sangat menghormati ASEAN Centrality tersebut, di antaranya bagaimana menyelesaikan permasalahan dengan dialog dengan hal-hal yang tidak menggunakan kekuatan senjata dan lain sebagainya.

In ADOSOM-Plus, ASEAN member countries also discussed the threats and challenges faced in the region along with eight ASEAN partner countries, namely Australia, New Zealand, India, China, South Korea, Japan, Russia, and the United States.

"So there are eight of our dialogue partners that we are talking to. The point is related to peace, welfare, and security. How do we make Southeast Asia a safe and peaceful area so that we can become an epicenter of crowd (the center of economic growth) as launched by the Government," said Marsdya Donny.

Indonesia's leadership in ADOSOM and ADOSOM-Plus is part of Indonesia's chairmanship in ASEAN this year.

The results of the senior official meeting will later be input for a meeting at the ASEAN defense ministerial level (ADMM) and a meeting with partner countries (ADMM) in Jakarta on November 15, 2023.

The main theme raised by Indonesia in its leadership in ASEAN this year, ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth.

From that big theme, the series of meetings between ASEAN countries in the defense sector, starting from ADOSOM WG, ADOSOM-Plus WG, ADOSOM, ADOSOM-Plus, ADMM, and ADMM-Plus, carried the theme "Peace, Prosperity, and Security." On the same occasion, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Defense said that Indonesia was trying to find concrete cooperation from the two meetings.

Marsdya Donny said several concrete results formulated in the two meetings included a discussion summary (discussion paper), a concept formulation manuscript (concept paper), including discussions on technical joint exercises between ASEAN countries and eight ASEAN partner countries.

"We get a lot from this collaboration, both at the discussion level, we have a discussion paper or concept paper, up to the technical implementation of joint exercises," he said.

"So, ASEAN countries carry out joint exercises with the plus countries that I mentioned earlier," he continued.

He argues it has an impact on good cooperation with these plus countries.

"This also has a positive impact on ASEAN countries because we bring these partner countries to follow the way ASEAN countries think," he said.