THREE-DAY MEET OF 7TH
ARF HEADS OF DEFENCE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES CONCLUDED
Three-Day meet
of 7th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Heads of Defence
Universities and Colleges concluded in New Delhi today. Addressing
the concluding session of the meet, Lt Gen SS Chahal Commandant
of the National Defence College said that to achieve the objective
of ARF it is necessary to foster a dialogue and consultations
on security issues of common interest and concerns, to make significant
contributions in our efforts towards confidence building in the
Asia – Pacific region.
During the discussion
on the role of military in providing assistance to the civil administration
in times of distress, the meet recommended that we must have a
plan especially with the following points in mind. The kind of
disaster likely to face, suitable response about the damages and
preventive measures regarding warning and the estimated population
likely to be evacuated. The meet has recommended that in the event
of disaster there should be organisation for immediate assessment
of damage, a task force suitably equipped on contingency plans,
establish close cooperation between civil administration and military
and gradually delink military from relief operations once civil
administration regains control.
Technology plays
an important role in forecasting the disaster and in assessing
the damage and meet has recommended that developed countries should
assist the developing nations. It was further stated that assistance
from neighbouring countries could be of a great help.
During the three-day
meet 41 delegates from 18 ARF countries participated. It was decided
that the Eight ARF meet of the heads of Defence Universities,
Institutions and college will be held in Singapore.
