ASEAN more stable in 10 years – Esperon

By Ronron
November 13, 2007

The different military leaders in the Asia Pacific region is seeing a more progressive and stable situation in Southeast Asia 10 years from now.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. said this was the general assessment of the different military chiefs that attended the 10th Annual Chief of Defense Meeting in Hawaii last week.

“For one, we think that 10 years from now, the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region would be one that is very progressive and very stable, despite some problems like in terrorism,” Esperon told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo.

Esperon disclosed that some 30 military chiefs from the Asia Pacific Region attended the meeting.

“The chief of defense meeting is an informal congregation of the chiefs of defense in the Asia Pacific region. So that means about 30 of us are getting together to discuss the current security situation, as well as how we look at things 10 years from now,” he said.

Esperon said the basis for their projection of the situation 10 years from now is the current activities of all countries, including the Philippines, which, he said, spearheaded a lot in the war on terror.

“There are still threats but I think, we are better organized. We have better coordination with neighboring countries, as well as with our allies,” he said.

The ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Burma, Laos, and Indonesia./DMS