This comes in the wake of natural disasters that struck Myanmar and China, making headlines around the world and leading to debate on granting access to foreign relief agencies, bearing in mind sensitivities over such matters as sovereignty and self-image.

Meeting for the first time since the disasters hit, the ministers agreed on a common understanding on the 'norms of behaviour' in such instances.

This took place at a lunch hosted by Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean on the second day of this year's Shangri-La Dialogue.

The annual security summit of defence officials, now in its seventh year, saw participants from 27 countries including the United States, China and Myanmar.

In a statement, the Defence Ministry said the lunch participants stressed that the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance was critical should a disaster strike.

The ministers agreed that multilateral cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief could be guided by three principles. These were:

One, it is the responsibility of disaster-hit countries to quickly and effectively bring humanitarian relief to people in their territories.

Two, where necessary, they should facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid from other countries and international organisations.

Three, any external help shall have the consent of the affected countries, and it should come under their overall control and supervision.

While the three guidelines do not have the force of a formal agreement, the assent by representatives of countries hit recently by major disasters was a positive one.

China, hit by a recent massive earthquake, accepted help after a slight delay. Myanmar, after Cyclone Nargis struck early last month, took longer.

Speaking to reporters later, Mr Teo said a wide-ranging discussion made the lunch a 'very interesting session'.

But the central concern was non-traditional security issues like humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Referring to the three principles, he said 'countries should be able to work together with the international community and other countries to bring prompt relief aid'.

Asked what Myanmar's Deputy Minister of Defence, who was at the lunch, had to say about them, Mr Teo said: 'We did not get around to that yet.'

The purpose of the Shangri-La Dialogue was to surface issues and discuss them, he said, adding: 'We may not find a solution but to be able to talk about and recognise these as issues... we can take them away to other forums to discuss further.'

For example, 'good suggestions' emerged at yesterday's lunch, like the idea of having pre-positioned equipment and relief supplies.

Mr Teo also referred to China and Myanmar when asked about the main obstacles in providing humanitarian aid.

China was a 'very good positive example', he said. Resources were mobilised quite quickly and Beijing sought the international community's help when needed.

On Myanmar, he said: 'I think most of us would agree that we would have preferred to see a different outcome, where the aid flows available from the international community might have been put to more prompt and effective use.'

The annual meeting, which takes its name from the hotel venue, is organised by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.

cheekin@sph.com.sg

joolin@sph.com.sg

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