KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — Asean remains steadfast in upholding the region as a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality and firmly rejects any action that could threaten global security, including nuclear weapons testing, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
He said Asean is a zone of peace and is free from nuclear weapons and always strives to avoid anything that could bring harm to humanity.
“Within the Asean region, it is our principle to maintain a peaceful and nuclear-free zone,” he said at a daily press conference during the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) here today.
He said this when asked about United States President Donald Trump’s announcement yesterday of the immediate start of new nuclear weapons tests, citing similar testing programmes in other countries.
Khaled also touched on Asean’s informal meetings with India and Timor-Leste held on the sidelines of ADMM, highlighting the strengthening of regional cooperation.
On India, Khaled said Asean views the country as a key partner with great potential to deepen collaboration, particularly in areas of science, technology, and innovation.
“India may not be seen in the same context as major military powers such as China or the United States, but it is a leading nation in science, technology, and innovation. These are areas where India can drive new cooperation in its relationship with Asean,” he said.
According to Khaled, both sides agreed to explore future cooperation in maritime security, cyber defence, defence industry innovation, policy dialogue, technology transfer, think-tank collaboration, and talent development for the next generation.
In a separate session, Asean welcomed Timor-Leste’s growing role within the regional bloc, especially in the field of defence and security capacity-building.
“We welcome Timor-Leste’s participation in Asean and will help facilitate its integration into Asean and the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting framework. This will allow Timor-Leste to join us in promoting peace and security in the region,” Khaled said.
He added that Asean does not expect Timor-Leste to immediately operate at the same level as other long-standing members, but will continue to assist it through training and joint exercises.
Khaled said what is important is for Timor-Leste to seize opportunities to participate and build understanding, networks, and most importantly, trust, because trust is the foundation of lasting cooperation.
