Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean is in Bangkok, Thailand, attending the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) Retreat from November 2 to 4.

The ADMM retreat allows ASEAN defence ministers to discuss issues of shared interest in particular the ADMM-Plus initiative, and enhance mutual trust and understanding.

They also have the opportunity to get to know one another better.

During discussions held today, the ASEAN Defence Ministers exchanged views on regional security issues.

They also made further progress on the ADMM's external engagement with non-ASEAN countries through the establishment of the ADMM-Plus.

The ADMM-Plus is part of a security framework allowing the ASEAN defence track to engage countries beyond Southeast Asia.

The discussions on the ADMM-Plus will be carried into Vietnam's Chairmanship of the ADMM in 2010.

As part of the ADMM programme, the ASEAN Defence Ministers made a joint call on Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva today.

Mr Teo also held bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the ADMM with a number of defence ministers, including the defence ministers from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysian, Myanmar and Thailand.

Mr Teo is accompanied by Permanent Secretary (Defence) Chiang Chie Foo and other MINDEF officials.