Nay Pyi Taw, April 24
Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who is in Moscow at the invitation of Minister of Defence of Russian Federation Army General Sergey Kuzhugetovich Shouigu and Russia-Myanmar Military Technological Cooperation Committee, attended the opening ceremony of the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security in Moscow this morning.
Also present at the ceremony together with the Senior General were Lt-Gen Soe Htut, Lt-Gen Min Naing and senior military officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) and Myanmar Military Attaché in Russian Federation (Army, Navy and Air) Commodore Kyaw Soe Moe, Minister of Defence Army General Sergey Kuzhugetovich Shouigu and officials of Russian Federation government, representatives of UN agencies, military chiefs of 35 countries, defence ministers and delegates of over 100 countries.
The Minister of Defence of Russian Federation and Military Adviser Lieutenant General Carlos Loitey of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations Office of Military Affairs delivered addresses at the opening ceremony. The first part of the plenary session held discussions under the topic “Security in modern world: regional and global factors and trends”. The Senior General took part in the discussions under the heading “Indo-Pacific region military cooperation and prospects for regional security.” In his discussions, the Senior General said in terms of geopolitics Indo-Pacific region is the hub of global progress and trends. But there are still worries in connection with peace and security. The 21st century see heighten global attention on Indo-Pacific region. Because of the existence of military powers, economic powers and democracy countries and populous countries such as China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia, Indo-Pacific region has become the most important and interested regions in the modern world. Some countries’ attempts to militarily influence over Indo-Pacific region cause concerns to regional countries. Oil and gas transportation, the most vital energy in the world, is the most important mission for all nations. Since the vital route to transport oil and gas has to cross Indian Ocean, it can be seen that it becomes an economically important center. Indo-Pacific strategy means an ideology to merge two oceans including off-shore seas of East Asia and Southeast Asian coasts into a region of geopolitics.
ASEAN countries including Myanmar are geopolitically imperative and it serves as a vital region. In this state, Myanmar is situated at a spot capable of bridging the countries in Southeast Asia region and it is also a strategically important country. Among the military exercises launched in the region, multi-national military exercises are the same as the ones ASEAN countries located between Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean conducted. Therefore, efforts to carry out stability and peace in Indo-Pacific region can be seen as collaborative measures. Although pirate attacks occurring in Indo-Pacific region can be successfully cracked down through collaborative efforts of multi-nations to some degree, it still remains as a threat to maritime. Human trafficking and illegal narcotic trade in Indo-Pacific region can be seen as transnational crimes. Huge links between transnational crimes, pirates and violence pose complex and unnatural threats in Indo-Pacific region. Stability, peace and better military cooperation in Indo-Pacific region is based on territory and sovereignty of each country and equality of all the countries.
Measures based on principle that does not consider size of the country and populations are needed for individual countries and all global ones. These rules and standards must be drawn under common agreement. In using international waters, it is also necessary to draw those rules and standards with the aim of creating a transparent, equal and stable trade environment based on non-manipulation by a single country so as to ensure equality for each nation in accord with the international rules. It is required to reduce strategic rivalries by building trust and understanding among the countries and they are important facts relating to challenges posed by Indo-Pacific Strategy and prospects. Next, the Senior General met Defence Minister of the Russia Federation Army General Sergey Kuzhugetovich Shouigu and cordially exchanged views on the holding of the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security, strengthening of the friendship between the two counties and the two armed forces and bilateral cooperation.
They then exchanged gifts. The Senior General met with media and explained the attendance of the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security. Lt-Gen Min Naing and senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), who accompany the Senior General, visited Kubinka Patriot Park in Moscow on 23 April. There they studied the booth on the vehicles and weapons used by the Russian army in defeating terrorists in Syria, the booth on vehicles and weapons seized from the terrorists and the booth on the Second World War tanks manufactured by Russia and the tanks used by Germany. They were conducted round by officials.
Lt-Col Tin Phone Kyaw holding a Doctor of Science degree from Russia was invited to the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security as an air security expert for he published a book on Making Decisions in Air Traffic Control. Moreover, Col Myo Kyaw Thu from the National Defence College was invited to discuss “Colour Revolutions and “Hybrid” Warfare.. General and Specific Features. These two officers are attending the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security.
