Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has indicated the need for the ASEAN to create a mechanism that will prevent miscalculation while patrolling at sea, especially areas of common maritime concerns.
He made the statement during the just concluded ASEAN Defense Senior Officials’ Meeting held in Cebu.
In the same vein, Lorenzana said the meeting will ensure closer defense ties and coordination with neighboring states.
“Establish a mechanism to prevent miscalculations in areas of common maritime concerns, and develop strategies to counter unwelcome superpower advances and their rivalries in the region,” the DND chief pointed out.
The mechanism Lorenzana was referring to is similar to the Conduct of Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) that was developed during the 2014 Western Pacific Naval Symposium as a means to facilitate communication when naval ships or naval aircraft encounter each other in an unplanned manner. (PNA)
