Clark
(The Philippines), Oct 24: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) nations have agreed to step up counter-terrorism measures to prevent
pro-Islamic State (IS) militants from gaining ground in Southeast Asia. In a
joint declaration issued at the end of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting
(ADMM), they stressed the need "to enhance regional cooperation through
intelligence and information sharing, increasing surveillance, and promoting
awareness among the public about the threat of radicalism." On maritime
security, the ministers stressed the need to maintain and promote peace,
security, stability, and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the
South China Sea. The 10-member regional grouping comprises Brunei, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam. The ministers also expressed "full support for the Philippines'
efforts to address the security and humanitarian situation" in its
southern city of Marawi where security forces and pro-IS fighters were locked
in a five-month urban warfare that killed over a thousand people. Philippine
Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced in a press conference on Monday
the end of "all combat operations" in Marawi, saying the city has
been cleared of terrorists. "In crushing thus far the most serious attempt
to export violent extremism and radicalism in the Philippines and in the
region, we have contributed to preventing its spread in Asia and give our share
to maintaining global peace, stability, and security," Lorenzana was
quoted as saying by the Philippines News Agency. The ministers also moved to
make the ADMM-Plus dialogue to be held yearly to better address common security
challenges confronting Asia and the Pacific. ADMM-Plus is currently being held
every two years. ADMM-Plus include ASEAN and its eight dialogue partners -
Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United
States. ADMM-Plus is a platform for ASEAN defense ministers to engage their
dialogue partners from Asia and the Pacific. UNI