Brunei And UK Tackle Unconventional Threats
By M K Anwar

Bandar Seri Begawan - "Looking at the security environment today, the presence of non-conventional threats such as terrorism have pushed nations around the world to take whatever defence precautions to preserve safety and stability of the respective countries."

This was said by Acting Permanent Secretary (Policy and Administration) at the Ministry of Defence, Awang Haji Mohd Said bin POKPS Dato Haji Hashim at the start of the two-day 3rd Joint Commission for Defence Cooperation (JDC) Meeting between Brunei and the United Kingdom held here yesterday.

He said that such efforts are effectively performed both bilaterally and multilaterally.

"JDC can be seen as such an effort towards peace and stability through the establishment of closer relationships between nations," he added.

The two-day meeting was attended by senior defence officials from Brunei and the United Kingdom. Brunei is led by the Acting Permanent Secretary (Policy and Administration) at the Ministry of Defence, while the United Kingdom delegation was headed by Air Vice Marshall David Hobart, Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy) Ministry of Defence (UK).

It is hoped that the meeting will help contribute to the development of much deeper understanding between Brunei and United Kingdom, which the Acting Permanent Secretary said, will "be achieved with the commitment of both countries to work together and practise compromise in pursuit of mutual interest and needs".

The JDC also functions as an audit mechanism for management that monitors the activities and operations involved in matters pertaining to British Garrison's budget, military training exchanges, Loan Service, Garrison Estate Development Plan and others.

The JDC is held biennially following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on December 31st 2002 at the Ministry of Defence in Bolkiah Garrison between Brunei and United Kingdom on the Establishment of Joint Commission (JDC) for Defence and Cooperation.

This MOU on JDC is a mechanism allowing defence officials from both countries to hold in-depth discussions pertaining to defence matters to promote cooperation and understanding. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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