Minister of Defence, Peeni Henare, has attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cambodia.
He said the first face-to-face meeting of the ADMM-Plus members was an opportunity to highlight New Zealand’s position on key regional security matters.
“In particular, having arrived here from Kyiv, this was an invaluable opportunity for me to share with ASEAN and other counterparts the impact of Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion,” said Mr Henare.
“During the meeting I made clear Aotearoa’s unwavering support for the international rules-based system on which small states like New Zealand depend. I also reiterated the growing security threat posed by climate change.
“Being here in person is critical to advancing our security objectives with ASEAN, and to maintaining our reputation as a constructive and engaged partner.”
The meeting in Siem Reap comprised Defence Ministers from ASEAN and its eight Dialogue Partners, including Australia, US, Japan and China.
During the meeting, the Minister also held bilateral meetings with Cambodia, Singapore, Philippines, China and India. The delegation returns to New Zealand on 26 November.
