Army chiefs from 19 nations hold secret talks | World News - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Army chiefs from 19 nations hold secret talks

AFP | By, Sydney
Aug 15, 2007 03:33 AM IST

Army chiefs from 19 countries, including India, the United States and Japan, met secretly in Sydney ahead of an Asia-Pacific summit in the city next month.

Army chiefs from 19 countries, including India, the United States and Japan, met secretly in Sydney ahead of an Asia-Pacific summit in the city next month, the country’s army chief said on Tuesday.

HT Image
HT Image

The presence of the military leaders in Sydney, including US General George Casey, at the same time and at the same venue last week was considered too risky to publicise, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Australia’s Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Peter Leahy, told the ABC it had been judged better not to disclose the meeting, the fifth Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference, at the time.

“We were aware that there’s a lot going on in Sydney and we didn’t want to make a fuss,” Leahy said, in a reference to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the city on September 8-9.

The summit will be attended by leaders of the 21 members of APEC, including the US, Russia, China and Japan, and Australia is preparing unprecedented security measures to protect them. But Leahy said the security of the summit was not a particular item on the agenda of the army chiefs’ meeting.

“No, it was an internal conference and we were just sitting around in one of the nice hotels in Sydney, discussing issues,” he said.

The officers had discussed some of the challenges facing modern armies, such as how to prepare for disaster relief, peacekeeping and counter-terrorism operations, he said. “What we’ve all agreed is that we need to look at the methods of education and how we prepare our individuals for the uncertainty of these complex environments that we’re headed into,” he said.

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! - Login Now!

Get Latest World News along with Latest News from India at Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On