Top Asia-Pacific, European military officers meet in Indonesia

Top and high-ranking military officers from 45 countries in Asia-Pacific and Europe began discussions on strategies to face common threat and challenges in the Asia-Pacific region and the world here on Wednesday. The officers gathered on the Jakarta International Defense Dialogue 2013 which was opened by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday. (The forum) raises the issue of defense and diplomacy in Asia and Pacific in a bid to create a condition which is peaceful, transparent and full of trust," Brig. General Sisriadi, Indonesian defense ministry spokesman, said on the sidelines of the two-day event. The participants would discuss the current and evolving trend of threat in the region by conducting government to government and military to military confidence building, helping facilitate ongoing and new multilateral initiative, he said. The forum would also hold dialogues on international defense issues with speakers such as Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security Djoko Suyanto, Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen and others. The participating countries also held exhibitions on their defense industry and technology. Terrorism, transnational crime and insurgency are among the top threats being faced by the countries in the region.