PHOTO CAPTIONS:
1. Fourteen chiefs or vice
chiefs of defense forces in the Asia-Pacific region attend a
conference hosted by the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command
(USCINCPAC). L to R: Lt. Gen. Bey Soo Khiang (Singapore), Gen.
Mongkon Ampornpisit (Thailand), Brig. Gen. Epeli G. Ganilau (Fiji),
Gen. Henry H. Shelton (U.S.), Adm. Joseph W. Prueher (then USCINCPAC
- host), Col. Fetu'utolu Tupou (Tonga), Lt. Gen. Anthony L. Birks
(New Zealand), Brig. Mohamed Zahir (Maldives). Back row: Lt.
Gen. Sakamaki Takao (Japan), Adm. Christopher Barrie (Australia),
Maj. Gen. Pengiran Dato' Seri Paduka Haji Abidin bin Pengiran
Ahmad (Brunei), Maj. Gen. Dashzeveg (Mongolia), Gen. Joselin
B. Nazareno, (Philippines), Vice Adm. Lee Ji-Doo (Korea), and
Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razi (Indonesia).
2. The first-ever Chiefs
of Defense Conference was designed to increase high-level dialogue
and foster regional military-to-military cooperation.
3. Gen. Mongkon Ampornpisit,
Supreme Commander, Royal Thai Armed Forces, speaks on regional
military cooperation in Southeast Asia.
4. Attendees enter the conference.
L to R: Gen. Joselin B. Nazareno, Chief of Staff, Armed Forces
of the Philippines; Adm. Christopher A. Barrie, Chief of Australia
Defence Forces (rear); and Brig. Mohamed Zahir, Chief of Maldives
National Security Service.
5. Attendees enter the conference:
L to R: Col. Fetu'utolu Tupou, Commander, Tonga Defence Services;
Brig. Gen. Epeli G. Ganilau, Commander, Republic of Fiji Military
Forces; and Maj. Gen. Dashzeveg, Chief of the General Staff,
Mongolian Forces.
6. Attendees during a conference
break. L to R: Lt. Gen. Bey Soo Khiang, Chief of Defence Force,
Singapore; Mr. Ronnie C. Chan, Chairman of Hang Lung Development
Group of Hong Kong, a guest speaker; and Lt. Gen. Anthony L.
Birks, Chief of New Zealand Defence Force.
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The first-ever Chiefs
of Defense Conference, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, was hosted by
Adm. Joseph W. Prueher, Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command.
The theme for this two-day inaugural conference in October 1998
was "Asia-Pacific Security Challenges for the 21st Century,"
giving Asia-Pacific military leaders a chance to meet and discuss
security, political and economic issues.
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Fourteen of the top military officials in the Asia-Pacific
region attended:
- Australia: Adm. Christopher A. Barrie, Chief of the Australia
Defence Forces;
- Brunei: Maj. Gen. Pengiran Dato' Seri Paduka Haji Abidin
bin Pengiran Ahmad, Chief, Royal Brunei Armed Forces;
- Fiji: Brig. Gen. Epeli G. Ganilau, Commander, Republic of
Fiji Military Forces;
- Indonesia: Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razi, Chief of the General Staff,
Indonesian Armed Forces;
- Japan: Lt. Gen. Sakamaki Takao, Director General, Joint Staff
Office, Japan Defense Agency;
- Korea: Vice Adm. Lee Ji-Doo, Vice-Chairman, Joint Chiefs
of Staff, Republic of Korea;
- Maldives: Brig. Mohamed Zahir, Chief of the Maldives National
Security Service;
- Mongolia: Maj. Gen. Dashzeveg, Chief of the General Staff,
Mongolian Forces;
- New Zealand: Lt. Gen. Anthony L. Birks, Chief of the New
Zealand Defence Force;
- Philippines: Gen. Joselin B. Nazareno, Chief of Staff, Armed
Forces of the Philippines;
- Singapore: Lt. Gen. Bey Soo Khiang, Singapore Chief of Defence
Force;
- Thailand: Gen. Mongkon Ampornpisit, Supreme Commander, Royal
Thai Armed Forces;
- Tonga: Col. Fetu'utolu Tupou, Commander, Tonga Defence Services;
- United States: Gen. Henry H. Shelton, Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff.
The conference was designed to increase high-level dialogue
and foster regional military-to-military cooperation. Expert
regional speakers and round table discussions examined current
challenges to maintaining security and stability in the Asia-Pacific
region. Some specific issues on the agenda included methods to
enhance interoperability, potential areas for multilateral cooperation,
and the impact of economic interdependence and political challenges
on security.
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Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Hugh
Shelton, delivered the keynote address about the security challenges
for the 21st century. He stressed that military-to-military contacts
and continued engagement are important parts of the U.S. strategy
in the region. The U.S. views these contacts as "opportunities
to demonstrate the bedrock values of America's armed forces."
He also spoke about the links between the economies of the Asia-Pacific
region.
Other featured speakers included Gen. Mongkon Ampornpisit,
Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces with remarks
on Regional Military Cooperation in Southeast Asia; Mr. Frank
Ching, senior editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review,
on the Political Ramifications of the Asia-Pacific Economic Crisis;
Mr. Ronnie C. Chan, Chairman of Hang Lung Development Group of
Hong Kong, on the Economic Outlook in the Asia-Pacific Region;
Mr. Prasong Soonsiri, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of
Thailand, spoke on Southeast Asia Political Challenges; Mr. Han
Sung Joo, former Korean Foreign Minister, spoke on Northeast
Asia Political Challenges; the Honorable Hugh White, Deputy Secretary,
Strategy and Intelligence, Australian Department of Defence,
spoke on South Pacific Political Challenges; Mr. Robert G. Lees,
Secretary General of the Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC),
spoke on "Interdependence of Asia-Pacific Economies;"
Adm. Christopher A. Barrie, Chief of the Australia Defence Forces,
gave "Regional Views on Future Interoperability;" and
Maj. Gen. George F. Close, Director, Operational Plans, J-7,
U.S. Joint Staff, addressed the "Revolution of Military
Affairs and Interoperability." Retired Marine Lt. Gen. Hugh
Stackpole, now President of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security
Studies, led two of the panels on political and economic climates.
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The conference broadened the opportunity for senior military
leaders to talk about common problems and to share solutions.
In conjunction with the senior level conference, defense attachés
and military deputies of the 14 participating nations took part
in a separate, but parallel, conference to discuss problems and
solutions to issues such as modernization, interoperability and
multilateral cooperation. The defense chiefs voted unanimously
to have this become a recurring event.
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