Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, will this weekend represent Australia at the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Malaysia.
ASEAN sits at the core of Australia's vision for a peaceful, stable and prosperous region, where all countries - large and small - are free to exercise their sovereignty.
Through the ADMM-Plus, defence ministers from across the region come together to pursue dialogue and cooperation in support of these fundamental principles.
While in Kuala Lumpar, the Deputy Prime Minister will also hold a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with his counterparts.
Quotes attributable to Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles:
"The ADMM-Plus is the region's premier defence forum, bringing together a critical group of states to pursue the dialogue and cooperation that is a pre-requisite for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region.
"Australia strongly supports a regional order with ASEAN at its centre, providing an essential stabilising influence.
"I look forward to the opportunity to engage with my counterparts this weekend as we continue to look at opportunities to advance our defence and security cooperation."
