Enhancing regional security and promoting peaceful development are the core U.S. Pacific Command missions. This issue of Asia-Pacific Defense Forum illustrates some of the many ways in which U.S. forces and our security partners have approached these missions.

Effective deterrence and our combined ability to conduct humanitarian and peacekeeping operations require ready forces. Exercises such as TANDEM THRUST 99 stress our ability to work with regional partners in operations similar to DESERT STORM. At the other end of the spectrum of military operations, the first trilateral game between the Republic of the Philippines, Australia and the U.S. - SAGIP 99 - prepares us better to provide disaster relief in the event of a national disaster in the region. Medical Civic Action Programs in Indonesia and Mongolia provide both humanitarian assistance to people in need and provide valuable training for teams of medical personnel from these countries and the U.S. Armed Forces working together. Conferences such as the Pacific Symposium and PASOC 99 improve the security dialog among nations of the region. Japan's first overseas mission for international disaster relief in Honduras is a particularly welcome development.

As I write, the nations of the region are providing the majority of forces for INTERFET (International Force for East Timor) to restore security to East Timor, and they are making preparations for UNTAET (UN Transitional Administration in East Timor) to build a new nation in Southeast Asia. These developments have accentuated the need for the armed forces of the region to be ready to work together in humanitarian and UN sanctioned peacekeeping operations. In East Timor operations, we are developing the common procedures and understanding of the capabilities that we need now and in the future. The lessons that we learn here should form the basis for future exercises and the development of capabilities to conduct such operations together. Moreover, by talking, exercising and operating together, we can build confidence and trust. This, in turn, fosters the development of security communities in the Asia-Pacific region. Security communities consist of nations that genuinely do not want to fight each other and are willing and able to contribute to humanitarian and peacekeeping operations. The development of security communities is a sure way to promote the peaceful development of the Asia-Pacific region and is a worthy goal for all.