Thread by @supbrow

1/ #ASEAN Defence Mimisters Mtg #ADMM held today, hosted by Brunei MINDEF.

@asyura_salleh
@raylockman
@MarSec_Bradford
@CollinSLKoh

mindef.gov.bn/Lists/News/Dis…

2/ Malaysia Minster of Defence posted the some info.

https://twitter.com/MINDEFMalaysia/status/1404693908806791168?s=19

3/ Waiting to see if any statement will be published.

@bill_hayton

4/ "During the meeting, the ASEAN Defense Ministers agreed on the adoption of eight (8) new and revised Concept and Discussion Papers and one (01) Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). "

5/ "Amongst adopted papers were championed by Brunei Darussalam, namely Stocktaking Paper on the ADMM and ADMM-Plus with an intended outcome to deliver a strategy for the future of the #ADMM"

6/ Will be interesting to see this "Stocktaking Paper" and the strategy of thr future of the #ADMM.

Hope they are made public.

With #ASEANCentrality and ASEAN Ourlook on IndoPacific #AOIP, and now Myanmar, hard to believe the future of ADMM will be boring.

@graham_euan

7/ This line is a bit mysterious:

"At the sidelines, the ASEAN-China Defense Ministers' Informal Meeting convened following the conclusion of the 15th ADMM"

After-party?

@graham_euan
@CollinSLKoh
@MarSec_Bradford
@bill_hayton

8/ Tomorrow is #ADMMPlus mtg, which hopefully US SecDef will be attending.

Hopefully, good talking pts and no comms snafu like Sec State's recent attempt to hold an ASEAN-US special mtg while he was flying to Middle East.

#PriorityTheater

@SEA_NFAO
@BDHerzinger
@Jeremydcf

9/ Singapore MINDEF press release on today's #ADMM.

mindef.gov.sg/web/portal/min…

10/ Includes copy of the "Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration in Commemoration of the 15th Anniversary of the ADMM Towards a Future-Ready, Peaceful and Prosperous #ASEAN"

mindef.gov.sg/web/portal/min…

11/ Two sections on #SouthChinaSea and #UNCLOS.
🙂
new blurb on reducing tension amd risk of miscalculations.
🤔

@bill_hayton
@asyura_salleh
@raylockman
@graham_euan
@OlliSuorsa
@MarSec_Bradford

12/ #ADMM welcomes "the ASEAN Chairmanship of the Kingdom of Cambodia and hosting of the 16th ADMM and 9th ADMM-Plus in 2022."

Hope US is ready....
After odd news from #ReamNavalBase last week.

@CollinSLKoh @BDHerzinger

straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/u…

13/ June 16th:

#ADMMPlus mtg today.

India Defence Minister addressing #ADMM.

@abhijit227
@FathomsOne
@graham_euan
@asyura_salleh

https://twitter.com/SpokespersonMoD/status/1405021474906279936?s=19

14/ Malaysia participates in #ADMMplus.

And first picture evidence that US SecDef attended, proof of US-ASEAN engagement. ✅

@raylockman
@asyura_salleh
@graham_euan

https://twitter.com/MINDEFMalaysia/status/1405051449818578953?s=19

15/ thx @bill_hayton for sharing the China statement from #ASEAN-China Minister's Informal Mtg, yesterday on sideline of #ADMM

https://twitter.com/bill_hayton/status/1405068889621467141?s=19

@bill_hayton 16/ Japan MOD statement on #ADMMPlus.

Address East & #SouthChinaSea, #UNCLOS and Taiwan Strait.

@MarSec_Bradford @asyura_salleh @bill_hayton @graham_euan

https://twitter.com/ModJapan_en/status/1405087852619177988?s=20

17/ Japan DM Kishi also includes some Brunei desk figurines.

The two Brunei Armed Forces placques are nice, but not sure what the little stuffed toy is?
Some code with strategic signalling significance?
(I would have gone with a #Durian)

@graham_euan @MarSec_Bradford

18/ uh oh....

Did I break the site looking for the #ADMMplus statement?
Sorry
🤭

#ASEAN
#ADMM

@asyura_salleh
@bill_hayton
@graham_euan
@raylockman

19/ Singapore MINDEF posted the #ADMMplus statement....

@asyura_salleh
@bill_hayton
@raylockman
@graham_euan

mindef.gov.sg/web/portal/min…

20/ Singapore @mindefsg Dr Ng, on #ADMMplus:

"The fact that these issues [tensions in the #SouthChinaSea, and the situation in Myanmar] were raised shows that the ADMM-Plus continues to be relevant."

https://twitter.com/mindefsg/status/1405142507629924353?s=19

21/ A few thoughts on the #ADMMplus stmt:

22/ ""STRENGTHEN the ADMM-Plus as the main multilateral mechanism for defence cooperation within the ASEAN-centred regional architecture"

That is, it's not #TheQuad.

23/ This one is a zinger.

Note "the principles of democracy and constitutional government"
Hellow Myanmar

@bill_hayton @hmarston4 @thantmyintu

24/ #UNCLOS
"freedom of navigation and overflight"
and
"self-restraint in the conduct of activities and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation"

Who could not be happy with these statements?

25/ #ASEAN Direct Communications Infrastructre (ADI) hasbeen interesting to watch progress, adn now seems to be an important tool in the time of video teleconferences.

BZ to Brunei for carrying the torch on this one.

26/ Exercises, specifically "large-scale multilateral military exercises in multiple domains" are what ADMM wants. Can the -Plus countries keep up the commitment to help plan and join them?

@CollinSLKoh @SEA_NFAO @BDHerzinger @MarSec_Bradford @OlliSuorsa

27/
"WELCOME the convening of the 9th ADMM-Plus in the Kingdom of Cambodia in 2022."

Um, this could be awkward, next year.

@MarSec_Bradford @CollinSLKoh @BDHerzinger

scmp.com/week-asia/poli…

@MarSec_Bradford @CollinSLKoh @BDHerzinger 28/ Congrats to Brunei Mindef team for executing the #ADMM & #ADMMplus meeting. A heavy lift anytime, but especially this year. Nice job.

@asyura_salleh @MarSec_Bradford

mindef.gov.bn/Lists/News/Dis…

29/ And finally, US SecDef Austin's tweet on #ADMMplus.

https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1405183365951668228?s=19

30/ And the US SecDef readout:

defense.gov/Newsroom/Relea…

31/ "Notably, the Ministers identified natural disasters exacerbated by climate change as a significant emerging regional challenge requiring cooperation to address."

Wait.
Why exactly is this emerging threat, of all of them, so, um, notable?

@BDHerzinger @TangAnZhu