JOINT BRIEFING BY U.S. AND VIETNAM

 FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, left, shakes hands with Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh, in Hanoi, Vietnam, June 4, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo 


Presenter: Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Vietnamese Minister of Defense Gen. Phung Quang Thanh June 04, 2012
Joint Press Briefing with Secretary Panetta and Vietnamese Minister of Defense Gen. Phung Quang Thanh from Hanoi, Vietnam

            (Note:  The defense minister's remarks are provided through interpreter.)
            STAFF:  The press conference on the occasion of the official visit of the -- of the Secretary of Defense of the United States to Vietnam now begins.  I would like to invite the two ministers to the podiums.
            And now I would like to invite Excellency Phung Quang Thanh, the Minister of Defense of Vietnam, to deliver a speech.

            MINISTER PHUNG QUANG THANH:  Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I would like to warmly welcome the presence here of all Vietnamese and international press and all the reporters to be here to deliver the news about the visit by Secretary of Defense of the United States, Excellency Mr. Leon Panetta.

            We just had discussions of openness, friendliness, about all mutual concerns, issues about the cooperation and relations between the United States and Vietnam.  And we focused on the solutions to the implementation of the memorandum of understanding, was -- which was signed between the two countries at the end of last year -- the memorandum of understanding, which covers some of the following issues.
            The first one is the exchange of high-ranking dialogues between the two countries.
            The second area, which is search and rescue, and the third area, which is peacekeeping operations of the United Nations.
            The fourth area, which is the military management.
            And lastly is humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
            And besides we have some other issues that we are now working on to further the development, which are firstly the war legacy, and the second area, which is the missing in action of the United States soldiers and Vietnamese soldiers in the war.  And we are now trying to exchange the artifacts of our two sides, however, in order to provide more information to the families of the lost soldiers.  And I would like to take this opportunity today to present to Excellency Mr. Secretary, the three letters which are the three artifacts of the United States soldiers in the war.

            And the two sides will continue to cooperate in the fields of bombs and mines clearings, and the United States will continue to support Vietnam with facilities and technology.  And we will also continue to cooperate in the fields of mitigation of Orange Agent -- (inaudible) -- in the areas of some airports and some areas which were affected in the war.

            So we will continue our cooperation between the Vietnam and the United States in the spirit of -- firstly, in the framework of the memorandum of understanding which was signed between the two countries; secondly, in the nontraditional security efforts; and thirdly is on the war legacy, HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief), and search and rescue.  And we both see the great potential of this cooperation between the two countries.  We will continue our bilateral cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefits, mutual trust, for the benefits of the two countries with respect to the sovereignty of the two countries of peace, stability and cooperation and -- for the peace and stability of the region and the world without doing harm to any third parties.  Thank you.

            STAFF:  Thank you, Mr. Minister.

            Now I would like to invite the Secretary of Defense of the United States, Excellency Mr. Panetta, to deliver his speech.

            SECRETARY LEON PANETTA:  Thank you very much general, and I want to express my deepest thanks to you and to your entire delegation for hosting me on my first trip to Vietnam as secretary of defense.  I also want to thank the Vietnam for giving me the opportunity yesterday to visit Cam Ranh Bay.  It was a first visit of a secretary -- United States secretary of defense to Cam Ranh Bay since the war.  It gave me the opportunity to visit a United States ship in Cam Ranh Bay, the Robert E. Byrd, which is being repaired by a Vietnamese business located in that area.  And we are very thankful for that level of cooperation that has been provided to our ships.

            It's been only 17 years since the normalization of United States-Vietnamese diplomatic relations, but we have taken some very important steps to advance that relationship in the meeting that we had today.  Our meeting today was an opportunity to take pride in how far we've come over this relatively short period in our bilateral defense relationship, a relationship based on mutual trust and understanding.
            And we discussed some very important steps for the future, like how --
            STAFF:  (In Vietnamese.)

            SEC. PANETTA:  Go ahead.

            STAFF:  (In Vietnamese.)

            SEC. PANETTA:  How we could improve together the effort to fully implement the 2011 memorandum of understanding to advance our defense cooperation.  We also discussed how the U.S. could work with Vietnam in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) defense ministers group to try to improve the maritime rights of all nations.  And we also discussed our shared commitment to a peaceful and prosperous and secure Asia-Pacific region.

            As we -- as we move forward, General Thanh and I agree to expand some very important cooperation in five key areas: continued high-level dialogue; maritime security; search-and-rescue operations; peacekeeping operations; and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.  I also noted in our discussion the importance of our establishing an Office of Defense Cooperation to enhance our cooperation in these areas and as a signal of the United States' enduring commitment to this important defense relationship for the future.
            Let me -- let me also take this opportunity to thank the general and his ministry for their long-standing assistance in efforts to identify and locate the remains of our fallen service members and those missing in action in Vietnam.  In particular, I want to thank him for his offer to open up three new areas for remains recovery.

            And I want to thank him for the letters that he will be giving me.  And I want him to know that we, in turn, are going to provide a diary that was recovered in war that can, hopefully, be given back to that individual's family.

            Our commitment to the effort to have an accounting of the efforts of both sides that were involved in the war, I think, is critical to our personnel serving today, to make clear that we stand by our pledge to leave no one behind.  Our continued progress in this area, as well as other legacies of war, reflects, I think, without question the growing maturity of our relationship between the United States and Vietnam.
            I want the general to know and the people of Vietnam to know that we will, in the United States, do everything possible to continue to work together to achieve our shared objectives and our common goals.  I believe that the United States and Vietnam can build a better future, not only for our people but for the entire Asia-Pacific region.

            Thank you.  (Applause.)

            STAFF:  Thank you very much, Excellency Secretary Leon Panetta.
            I would like to invite Excellency General Phung Quang Thanh to hand over the artifacts of the war to Excellency Secretary Panetta.  (Applause.)

            SEC. PANETTA:  Thank you very much.

            STAFF:  And now Excellency Secretary Panetta to hand over the artifacts of the Vietnam soldiers to Excellency General Phung Quang Thanh.  (Applause.)
            Thank you very much, Excellency.  And now we will start the Q-and-A session.
            First of all, I would like to invite reporter from the military department.

            Q:  (Through interpreter.)  Excellency, I'm a reporter from the People's Army Newspaper and have a question to Excellency Secretary Panetta.  So what is your feeling about the visit to Vietnam this time, Excellency?

            SEC. PANETTA:  Well, I have to tell you that for me personally, this has been a very moving experience.  I was an officer in the Army during the Vietnam War era.  And although I never fought here, I had many friends who did and who died in that war.

            A few days ago I was before the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington recognizing the 50th anniversary of that war.  Yesterday I visited Cam Ranh Bay, and today I visit Hanoi and recognize the normalization of our relations and the effort to improve our relations for the future.

            There were many lives lost in that war, both from the United States and from Vietnam.  If we can work together, both of our countries, to develop a better relationship between the United States and Vietnam, all of the sacrifice involved in that war will have proven worthwhile because we will improve the peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.

STAFF:  (Through interpreter.)  Thank you, Excellency.

            Now I would like to invite a reporter from an international press to raise your question.  And before you raise your question, please tell us your name and which press you are working for.  Thank you.

            STAFF:  First question from Dan De Luce of the -- of the Agence France-Presse.

            Q:  Yes.  First to the Vietnamese defense minister -- did you discuss today the possible sale of U.S. military equipment to Vietnam?  And would your government be open to expanding access to U.S. naval ships in Cam Ranh Bay, including the type of ships and the frequency of those ship visits?  And Secretary Panetta, when you spoke yesterday about wanting to take the defense relationship to a new level, to what degree are you concerned about human rights and threats to freedom of expression here preventing that from happening?

            MIN. THANH:  Thank you for your question.  Firstly, regarding the purchase of U.S. weapons, I would like to inform you that up to the moment the nonlethal weapons restrictions has been lifted but not the lethal weapons restrictions.  And we look forward to the United States to remove the lethal weapons restrictions to Vietnam and this would benefits the two countries.  And this would also have to fully normalize the relations between the two countries.

            And once when the lethal weapons restrictions is lifted, Vietnam has the demand to buy some facilities from the United States, firstly to repair, to overhaul the weapons that left from the war.  And after that depends on the financial capacity and the demands of our military, who will choose to buy -- to purchase certain kinds of weapons for the potential modernization of our military.

            And regarding the second questions, we welcome the logistic and logistic ships of the United States to be prepared -- to be repaired in the commercial port belonging to (inaudible) of Vietnam.

            And for Vietnam would have the advantage that in the repairing services in commercial ports of Vietnam, we have very skillful workers and the price is also very competitive.  This would help to promote the bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries and also help us to create more jobs for the Vietnamese workers.
 
          SEC. PANETTA:  The purpose of my trip is to do whatever we can to strengthen the defense relationship between the United States and Vietnam.  We have developed a new strategy -- a new defense strategy in the United States, and one of the keys to that strategy is to stress the Asia-Pacific region, but more importantly to stress the importance of developing the capabilities of our Asian partners, such as Vietnam.  And the whole -- the whole thrust of what we discussed in our meeting is to try to take this relationship to a new level with regards to not only a high-level dialogue, but also maritime security and increased Navy visits, to improve the search-and-rescue operations as well as increasing our humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and peacekeeping operations.  And we look forward to providing additional assistance and obviously that additional assistance will in part depend on the progress that is being made on human rights and on other reforms.  But we are very confident that the steps we are taking will in fact provide a stronger relationship and a stronger partnership between the United States and Vietnam in the future.

            Q:  Hello, sir, my name is -- (inaudible).

            I come from -- (inaudible) -- daily newspaper.  I'd like to ask you about the fear.  There is some fear that the U.S. military presence, which has been increasing in the region for the past few years might cause anxiety for the whole country.  So what is your response to those people who have this kind of fear?
            Thank you.

            SEC. PANETTA:  I want all people in this region to recognize that a fundamental goal of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region is to improve the chances for peace, prosperity and security for all nations.  Our goal is to work with all nations in this region, including China, to improve our military-to-military relationships and to help develop the capabilities of all countries to better secure and defend themselves.

            The United States is a Pacific nation, and we consider ourselves a member of the family of Pacific nations.  And our goal is to work with all of those countries to ensure that we advance the prosperity and security of all nations in this region.  And the key to that is that we have a shared -- a shared group of values and principles that all countries ought to abide by, that we will always continue to follow international rules, international regulations and an international rule of law.  If we all do that, then I think we can achieve the goal of a better and more secure region.

            STAFF:  Thank you, Mr. Secretary.  Now would like to invite an international reporter to raise your question.

            MR. LITTLE:  I understand this will be the last question.  Julian Barnes of the Wall Street Journal.

            Q:  To the minister of defense:  Do you see -- do you think Asian nations should have to make a choice between close relations with China and with the U.S.?  And do you worry about provoking China through closer relations or access to the United States?
         
 And to Mr. Panetta:  Some Asian countries have expressed the worry that the United States new strategy could potentially destabilize the region.  You know, given your last answer, how can you build a partnership without undermining regional security you're trying to secure or souring relations with China?

            MIN. THANH:  Thanks for your question.
            Thank you for your question.  And I would like to inform you about the foreign policy of Vietnam.  This is the foreign policy of independence and sovereignty, and we do not depend on any country.  And this is also the foreign policy of representation and multilateralization of our relations with all other countries.  And for Vietnam, we would like to expand the defense operations with all countries for peace and stability of the region and the world.

            And Vietnam would like to have fine relations with neighboring countries, with regional countries and with the major powers of the world, and especially for the United States and for China.  We look forward to having a stable and long-standing relations and cooperation for peace and stability.

            Vietnam would never go with one country to against another.  And we all know that China is a close neighboring country of Vietnam, which say a lot of similarities.  China is a comprehensive and a strategic partnership of Vietnam.  In the period of 16 months and -- (inaudible) -- between the two countries.  The relations between the two parties, between the two governments, between the two people and between the two armed forces is developing very fast.

            And we also look forward to having a very fine defense cooperation with the United States, in the spirit of friendship, stability, cooperation and for the mutual benefits of the two armed forces -- and comprehensively.  Thank you.

            SEC. PANETTA:  And the goal of the United States -- let me make clear -- is to advance exactly what the general referred to, advance the independence and the sovereignty of all nations in this region.  It is in the interest of stability -- it's in the interest of stability to have a strong Vietnam, a strong Indonesia, a strong Philippines, a strong Singapore and strong nations throughout the Asia-Pacific region.  Frankly, the most destabilizing situation would be if we had a group of weak nations and only the United States and China were major powers in this region.

            So the key to future stability, to future prosperity, to the future in which all of our people can enjoy a better life - the key to that is ensuring that all nations develop their capability, develop their economy, develop their trade and develop the kind of relationship that will bring these nations together, not apart.  That's the goal of the United States, and that's the reason I'm here in Vietnam.

            STAFF:  Thank you, Excellencies, and now I would like to announce that we will conclude the press conference on occasion of the visit by Secretary Panetta to Socialist Republic of Vietnam.  Thank you, Excellencies.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA RESPONDS TO CHINA'S CONCERNS

Photo:  Chinese Tank.  Credit:  Wikimedia.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Secretary Responds to China Concerns During Dialogue

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

SINGAPORE, June 2, 2012 - There is no choice but to pursue a mature relationship between the United States and China, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told attendees of the 11th annual Asia security conference, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, here today.

"Our relationship with China -- we approach it in a very clear-eyed way," he said. "We both understand the differences we have ... but we also both understand that there really is no other alternative but for both of us to engage, and to improve our communications."

The secretary delivered the gathering's keynote address this morning, outlining specifics of the U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy. In the question-and-answer period following his speech, representatives from several nations in the region quizzed him on perceived tensions surrounding U.S.-China relations.

Panetta stressed that the U.S. position involves increasing communications between the two nations on diplomatic, trade and economic issues, as well as in the defense realm.

"The problem in the past is that ... there was a large element of distrust between our two countries," the secretary said. "I think what both of us have to recognize is that we are powers in this region ... [and] we have common obligations to try to promote peace and prosperity and security in this region."

He also noted the U.S. is working to build relationships with countries across the Asia-Pacific and encourages nations here to develop international standards and the means to peacefully resolving disagreements.

Panetta emphasized the United States does not take sides in territorial disputes, such as that between China and the Philippines over the Scarborough Shoal area in the South China Sea.

"Every time these events take place ... we always come very close to having a confrontation," he said. "And that's dangerous for all countries in this region."

China and other Asia-Pacific regions must develop a code of conduct to help resolve disputes, the secretary said.

"It isn't enough for the United States to come charging in and try to resolve these issues," Panetta said. "This is a situation where the counties here have to come together. We will support them, we will encourage them, but ultimately they have to develop ... a dispute forum that can resolve those issues."

The United States is not taking a Cold War-style approach to the region of building permanent military installations and seeking to establish a power base, he said.

"This is a different world ... [and] we have to engage with other countries, to help develop their capabilities so that they can ... defend themselves in the future," the secretary said.

The United States will carry out rotational deployments, participate in multinational exercises, and provide advice and assistance to other nations in the region, Panetta said. That sort of partnership will most effectively promote security, he added.

"We will encourage that kind of relationship with every nation we deal with in this region," he said.

Panetta acknowledged the United States and China will see ups and downs in their relationship.

"There are moments when you agree; there are moments when you disagree," he said. "But you maintain lines of communication, you maintain lines of diplomacy ... to resolve those differences and to focus on those areas where you do agree."

SEC. OF DEFENSE PANETTA ATTENDS SHANGRI-LA SECURITY DIALOGUE

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Shangri-La Security Dialogue As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, Saturday, June 02, 2012
Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to have the opportunity to attend my first Shangri-La Conference.  I want to commend the International Institute for Strategic Studies for fostering this very important dialogue, this very important discussion that is taking place here this weekend.

I am, as I understand it, the third United States secretary of defense to appear at this forum, across administrations from both political parties in the United States.  That is, I believe, a testament to the importance that the United States places in this dynamic and critical region of the world.

It is in that spirit that I have come to Singapore, at the beginning of an eight-day journey across Asia that will take me to Vietnam and to India as well.

The purpose of this trip, and of my remarks today, is to explain a new defense strategy that the United States has put in place and why the United States will play a deeper and more enduring partnership role in advancing the security and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region, and how the United States military supports that goal by rebalancing towards this region.

Since the United States grew westward in the 19th century, we have been a Pacific nation.  I was born and raised in a coastal town in California called Monterey, and have spent a lifetime looking out across the Pacific Ocean.  As a fishing community, as a port, the ocean was the lifeblood of our economy.  And some of my earliest memories as a child during World War II are of watching American troops pass through my community, trained at the military reservation called Fort Ord, and were on their way to face battle in the Pacific.

I remember the fear that gripped our community during World War II, and later when war again broke out on the Korean Peninsula.  Despite the geographic distance that separates us, I've always understood that America's fate is inexorably linked with this region.

This reality has guided more than six decades of U.S. military presence and partnership in this region -- a defense posture which, along with our trading relations, along with our diplomatic ties, along with our foreign assistance, helped usher in an unprecedented era of security and prosperity in the latter half of the 20th century.

In this century, the 21st century, the United States recognizes that our prosperity and our security depends even more on the Asia-Pacific region.  After all, this region is home to some of the world's fastest growing economies: China, India, and Indonesia to mention a few.  At the same time, Asia-Pacific contains the world's largest populations, and the world's largest militaries.  Defense spending in Asia is projected by this institute, the IISS, to surpass that of Europe this year, and there is no doubt that it will continue to increase in the future.

Given these trends, President Obama has stated the United States will play a larger role in this region over the decades to come.  This effort will draw on the strengths of the entire United States government.  We take on this role not as a distant power, but as part of the Pacific family of nations.  Our goal is to work closely with all of the nations of this region to confront common challenges and to promote peace, prosperity, and security for all nations in the Asia-Pacific region.

My colleague and my good friend Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also outlined our refocus on the Asia-Pacific, emphasizing the crucial part that diplomacy, trade, and development will play in our engagement.

The same is true for defense policy.  We will play an essential role in promoting strong partnerships that strengthen the capabilities of the Pacific nations to defend and secure themselves.  All of the U.S. military services are focused on implementing the president's guidance to make the Asia-Pacific a top priority.  Before I detail these specific efforts, let me provide some context for our broader defense strategy in the 21st century.
The United States is at a strategic turning point after a decade of war.  We have significantly weakened al-Qaida's leadership and ability to attack other nations.  We have sent a very clear message that nobody attacks the United States and gets away with it.  Our military mission in Iraq has ended and established -- established an Iraq that can secure and govern itself.

In Afghanistan, where a number of Asia-Pacific nations are playing a critical role in the international coalition, we have begun our transition to the Afghan security lead and to an Afghanistan that can secure and govern itself.  Recent meeting in Chicago, NATO and its partners -- over 50 nations -- came together to support General Allen's plan to accomplish this goal.  In addition to that, we joined in a successful NATO effort to return Libya to the Libyan people.

But even as we have been able to draw these wars to a hopeful end, we are confronted today by a wide range of complex global challenges.  From terrorism -- terrorism still remains a threat to the world -- from terrorism to the destabilizing behavior of Iran and North Korea, from nuclear proliferation to the new threat of cyberattack, from continuing turmoil in the Middle East to territorial disputes in this region.

At the same time, the United States, like many other nations, is dealing with large debt and large deficits, which has required the Department of Defense to reduce the planning budget by nearly half a trillion dollars or specifically $487 billion that were directed to be reduced by the Congress in the Budget Control Act over the next decade.
But this new fiscal reality, challenge that many nations confront these days, has given us an opportunity to design a new defense strategy for the 21st century that both confronts the threats that we face and maintains the strongest military in the world.

This strategy makes clear the United States military, yes, it will be smaller, it will be leaner, but it will be agile and flexible, quickly deployable, and will employ cutting-edge technology in the future.  It makes equally clear that while the U.S. military will remain a global force for security and stability, we will of necessity rebalance towards the Asia-Pacific region.  We will also maintain our presence throughout the world.  We will do it with innovative rotational deployments that emphasize creation of new partnerships and new alliances.  We will also invest, invest in cyber, invest in space, invest in unnamed systems, invest in special forces operations.  We will invest in the newest technology and we will invest in the ability to mobilize quickly if necessary.

We have made choices and we have set priorities, and we have rightly chosen to make this region a priority.

Our approach to achieving the long-term goal in the Asia-Pacific is to stay firmly committed to a basic set of shared principles -- principles that promote international rules and order to advance peace and security in the region, deepening and broadening our bilateral and multilateral partnerships, enhancing and adapting the U.S. military's enduring presence in this region, and to make new investments in the capabilities needed to project power and operate in Asia-Pacific. Let me discuss each of these shared principles.  The first is the shared principle that we abide by international rules and order.
Let me underscore that this is not a new principle, our solid commitment to establish a set of rules that all play by is one that we believe will help support peace and prosperity in this region.

What are we talking about?  These rules include the principle of open and free commerce, a just international order that emphasizes rights and responsibilities of all nations and a fidelity to the rule of law; open access by all to their shared domains of sea, air, space, and cyberspace; and resolving disputes without coercion or the use of force.
Backing this vision involves resolving disputes as quickly as possible with diplomatic efforts.  Backing these principles has been the essential mission of the United States military in the Asia-Pacific for more than 60 years and it will be even a more important mission in the future.  My hope is that in line with these rules and international order that is necessary that the United States will join over 160 other nations in ratifying the Law of Seas Convention this year.

The second principle is one of partnerships.  Key to this approach is our effort to modernize and strengthen our alliances and partnerships in this region.  The United States has key treaty alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia, Philippines and Thailand.  We have key partners in India, Singapore, Indonesia, and other nations.  And we are working hard to develop and build stronger relations with China.

As we expand our partnerships, as we strengthen our alliances, the United States-Japan alliance will remain one of the cornerstones for regional security and prosperity in the 21st century.  For that reason, our two militaries are enhancing their ability to train and operate together, and cooperating closely in areas such as maritime security and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.  We are also jointly developing high-tech capabilities, including the next generation missile defense interceptor, and exploring new areas of cooperation in space and in cyberspace.

In the past several months we have strengthened the alliance and our broader strategic objectives in the region with a revised plan to relocate Marines from Okinawa to Guam.  This plan will make the U.S. presence in Okinawa more politically sustainable, and it will help further develop Guam as a strategic hub for the United States military in the Western Pacific, improving our ability to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Another linchpin of our Asia-Pacific security is the U.S. alliance with the Republic of Korea.  During a year of transition and provocation on the Korean Peninsula, this alliance has been indispensable, and I have made it a priority to strengthen it for the future.  To that end, even as the United States reduces the overall size of its ground forces in the coming years in a transitional way over a five-year period, we will maintain the United States Army's significant presence in Korea.

We are also boosting our intelligence and information sharing with the Republic of Korea, standing firm against hostile provocations from North Korea while transforming the alliance with new capabilities to meet global challenges.

The third shared principle is presence.  While strengthening our traditional alliances in Northeast Asia and maintaining our presence there, as part of this rebalancing effort we are also enhancing our presence in Southeast Asia and in the Indian Ocean region.
A critical component of that effort is the agreement announced last fall for a rotational Marine Corps presence and aircraft deployments in northern Australia.
The first detachment of Marines arrived in April, and this Marine Air-Ground Task Force will be capable of rapidly deploying across the Asia-Pacific region, thereby enabling us to work more effectively with partners in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean and tackle common challenges such as natural disasters and maritime security.

These Marines will conduct training and exercises throughout the region and with Australia, strengthening one of our most important alliances and building on a decade of operational experience together in Afghanistan.  Speaking of that, I welcome and applaud Australia's announcement that later this year it will assume leadership of Combined Team Uruzgan, and will lead our security efforts there through 2014.

We're also continuing close operational cooperation with our longtime ally, Thailand.  The Thais annually host COBRA GOLD, a world-class multilateral military exercise, and this year we will deepen our strategic cooperation to meet shared regional challenges.
We are energizing our alliance with the Philippines.  Last month in Washington I joined Secretary Clinton in the first-ever "2+2" meeting with our Filipino counterparts.  Working together, our forces are successfully countering terrorist groups.  We are also pursuing mutually beneficial capability enhancements, and working to improve the Philippine's maritime presence.  Chairman Dempsey will be traveling from here to the Philippines to further our military engagement.

Another tangible manifestation of our commitment to rebalancing is our growing defense relationship with Singapore.  Our ability to operate with Singaporean forces and others in the region will grow substantially in the coming years when we implement the forward deployment of the Littoral Combat Ships to Singapore.

As we take existing alliances and partnerships in new directions, this rebalancing effort also places a premium on enhancing partnerships with Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Vietnam, and New Zealand.

In the coming days I will travel to Vietnam to advance bilateral defense cooperation, building off of the comprehensive memorandum of understanding that our two nations signed last year.

From Vietnam, I will travel to India to affirm our interest in building a strong security relationship with a country I believe will play a decisive role in shaping the security and prosperity of the 21st century.

As the United States strengthens these regional partnerships, we will also seek to strengthen a very important relationship with China.  We believe China is a key to being able to develop a peaceful, prosperous, and secure Asia-Pacific in the 21st century.  And I am looking forward to traveling there soon at the invitation of the Chinese government.  Both of our nations recognize that the relationship -- this relationship between the United States and China is one of the most important in the world.  We in the United States are clear-eyed about the challenges, make no mistake about it, but we also seek to grasp the opportunities that can come from closer cooperation and a closer relationship.

I'm personally committed to building a healthy, stable, reliable, and continuous mil-to-mil relationship with China.  I had the opportunity to host Vice President Xi and later Defense Minister General Liang at the Pentagon in the effort to pursue that goal.  Our aim is to continue to improve the strategic trust that we must have between our two countries, and to discuss common approaches to dealing with shared security challenges.
We are working with China to execute a robust military-to-military engagement plan for the rest of this year, and we will seek to deepen our partnership in humanitarian assistance, counter-drug, and counter-proliferation efforts.  We have also agreed on the need to address responsible behavior in cyberspace and in outer space.  We must establish and reinforce agreed principles of responsible behavior in these key domains.

I know that many in the region and across the world are closely watching the United States-China relationship.  Some view the increased emphasis by the United States on the Asia-Pacific region as some kind of challenge to China.  I reject that view entirely.  Our effort to renew and intensify our involvement in Asia is fully compatible -- fully compatible -- with the development and growth of China.  Indeed, increased U.S. involvement in this region will benefit China as it advances our shared security and prosperity for the future.
In this context, we strongly support the efforts that both China and Taiwan, both have made in recent years trying to improve cross-strait relations.  We have an enduring interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.  The United States remains firm in the adherence to a one-China policy based on the Three Communiqués and the Taiwan Relations Act.

China also has a critical role to play in advancing security and prosperity by respecting the rules-based order that has served the region for six decades.  The United States welcomes the rise of a strong and prosperous and successful China that plays a greater role in global affairs.

Another positive step towards furthering this rules-based order is Asia's deepening regional security architecture, which the United States strongly supports.  Last October, I had the opportunity to be the first U.S. secretary of defense to meet privately with all ASEAN defense ministers in Bali.  We applaud the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus for producing real action plans for multilateral military cooperation, and I strongly support the ASEAN decision to hold more frequent ADMM-Plus discussions at the ministerial level.  We think this is an important step for stability, real coordination, communication, and support between these nations.

The United States believes it is critical for regional institutions to develop mutually agreed rules of the road that protect the rights of all nations to free and open access to the seas.  We support the efforts of the ASEAN countries and China to develop a binding code of conduct that would create a rules-based framework for regulating the conduct of parties in the South China Sea, including the prevention and management of disputes.

On that note, we are obviously paying close attention to the situation in Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.  The U.S. position is clear and consistent:  we call for restraint and for diplomatic resolution; we oppose provocation; we oppose coercion; and we oppose the use of force.  We do not take sides when it comes to competing territorial claims, but we do want this dispute resolved peacefully and in a manner consistent with international law.  We have made our views known and very clear to our close treaty ally, the Philippines, and we have made those views clear to China and to other countries in the region.

As a Pacific power, the United States has a national interest in freedom of navigation, in unimpeded economic development and commerce, and in a respect for the rule of law.  Our alliances, our partnerships, and our enduring presence in this region all serve to support these important goals.

For those who are concerned about the ability of the United States to maintain a strong presence in the Asia-Pacific region in light of the fiscal pressures we face, let me be very clear.  The Department of Defense has a five-year budget plan and a detailed blueprint for implementing this strategy I just outlined for realizing our long-term goals in this region, and for still meeting our fiscal responsibilities.

The final principle -- shared principle that we all have is force projection.
This budget is the first in what will be a sustained series of investments and strategic decisions to strengthen our military capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region.  I would encourage you to look at the increasing technological capabilities of our forces as much as their numbers in judging the full measure of our security presence and our security commitment.

For example, over the next five years we will retire older Navy ships, but we will replace them with more than 40 far more capable and technologically advanced ships.  Over the next few years we will increase the number and the size of our exercises in the Pacific.  We will also increase and more widely distribute our port visits, including in the important Indian Ocean region.

And by 2020 the Navy will reposture its forces from today's roughly 50/50 percent split between the Pacific and the Atlantic to about a 60/40 split between those oceans.  That will include six aircraft carriers in this region, a majority of our cruisers, destroyers, Littoral Combat Ships, and submarines.

Our forward-deployed forces are the core of our commitment to this region and we will, as I said, sharpen the technological edge of our forces.  These forces are also backed up by our ability to rapidly project military power if needed to meet our security commitments.

Therefore, we are investing specifically in those kinds of capabilities -- such as an advanced fifth-generation fighter, an enhanced Virginia-class submarine, new electronic warfare and communications capabilities, and improved precision weapons -- that will provide our forces with freedom of maneuver in areas in which our access and freedom of action may be threatened.

We recognize the challenges of operating over the Pacific's vast distances.  That is why we are investing in new aerial-refueling tankers, a new bomber, and advanced maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.

In concert with these investments in military capabilities, we are developing new concepts of operation which will enable us to better leverage the unique strengths of these platforms and meet the unique challenges of operating in Asia-Pacific.  In January, the department published a Joint Operational Access Concept which, along with these related efforts like Air-Sea Battle, are helping the Department meet the challenges of new and disruptive technologies and weapons that could deny our forces access to key sea routes and key lines of communication.

It will take years for these concepts and many of the investments that I just detailed, but we are making those investments in order that they be fully realized.  Make no mistake -- in a steady, deliberate, and sustainable way the United States military is rebalancing and bringing an enhanced capability development to this vital region.

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to deliver the commencement address at the U.S. Naval Academy.  And there I had the pleasure of handing a diploma to the first foreign student to achieve top graduate honors, a young midshipman from Singapore: Sam Tan Wei Chen.

I told that graduating class of midshipmen that it would be the project of their generation to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities that are emanating from the Asia-Pacific region.

By working in concert with all elements of American power, I truly believe that these young men and women will have the opportunity to play a vital role in securing a century of peace and prosperity for the United States and for all of the nations of this region.

Over the course of history, the United States has fought wars, we have spilled blood, we have deployed our forces time and time again to defend our vital interests in the Asia-Pacific region.  We owe it to all of those who have fought and died to build a better future for all nations in this region.

The United States has long been deeply been involved in the Asia-Pacific.  Through times of war, times of peace, under Democratic and Republican leaders and administrations, through rancor and through comity in Washington, through surplus and through debt.  We were there then, we are here now, and we will be here for the future.  Thank you.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA TALKS ASIAN STRATEGY WITH ALLIES

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Discusses New U.S. Asian Strategy With Allies
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
SINGAPORE, June 2, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta held a series of bilateral and trilateral meetings with Asian allies during the Shangri-La Dialogue here today.

Panetta met with leaders from Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Malaysia and host-nation Singapore on the sidelines of the annual conference of defense leaders.

The meetings followed his early morning speech detailing specifics on the on the U.S. military shift toward the Asia-Pacific region. Officials speaking on background said the secretary's speech and follow-on meetings with allies received good grades.

"We heard, especially after the speech today from our allies and partners, that they believe this is not just American talk, but that we're actually walking the walk on our rebalancing to the region," a senior defense official said on background following the meetings.

Panetta is the third U.S. defense secretary to participate in the Shangri-La Dialogue, which began in 2002. Officials said the participants favorably commented on the make-up of the U.S. delegation.

"The delegations we met with clearly took note of the seniority of our delegation," a senior defense official said.

Panetta led the delegation, which included Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Navy Adm. Samuel Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command. William Burns, the deputy secretary of state, and a bipartisan congressional delegation, also participated.

Allies were appreciative about the broad outlines of American strategy in the region that Panetta offered. The official said the tone of discussions indicated the allies felt "there is a strong value in U.S. presence in the region." Cambodian and Thai defense ministers invited the secretary to visit their countries, and the Australian minister of defense spoke with Panetta about the Australia-U.S. defense ministerial later this year.

In the bilateral meeting with Singapore, the secretary and Minister for Defense Ng Eng Hen finalized the rotation of four U.S. littoral combat ships to Singapore. The U.S. ships will not be based or home-ported in Singapore, and the crews will live aboard their ships, as is customary for sailors at sea, for the duration of their deployment. Each littoral combat ship has a complement of between 40 to 75 sailors, depending on how it is configured. This means the total number of sailors on this rotation would be between 160 and 300.

The deployment is a true rotation, and the ships will strengthen U.S. engagement in the region through visits at regional ports and through engagement with regional navies through exercises and exchanges.

The U.S. and Singapore also are exploring increasing the complexity of existing bilateral exercises. Examples include possibly incorporating Navy elements into Exercise Commando Sling, currently a bilateral Air Force exercise. U.S. Marines also may be training at Singapore's Murai Urban Training Facility from 2013 onward.
In a trilateral meeting, Panetta met with South Korean National Defense Minister Kim Kwan Jin and Japan Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister of Defense Shu Watanabe to share views on security in Northeast Asia.

The three men cited North Korean provocations, including the North sinking of the South Korean Navy ship Cheonan and shelling a South Korean island that killed two civilians and two South Korean Marines in 2010. They also cited the North's attempted missile launch in April 2012. These acts show the North poses a serious threat to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and the world.

"They agreed North Korea must understand that it will achieve nothing by threats or by provocations, and that such behavior will only deepen its international isolation," said Pentagon Press Secretary George Little in a written statement following the meeting.
The three leaders called on North Korea to comply with its obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874, including that it abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.

The ministers said that any threats from North Korea will be met with solidarity from all three countries. The three ministers also discussed collaboration on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, maritime security, protecting the freedom of navigation and non-proliferation.

Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith joined Panetta and Watanabe in another trilateral meeting. The U.S., Japanese and Australian leaders agreed "to work through 2020 to refine and consolidate their trilateral defense relationship and support the network of existing alliances, forums and dialogues to meet a variety of common security challenges," according to a press release issued following the meeting.
The three reiterated their support for promoting security and stability in a rules-based international order.

Panetta ended his string of conferences meeting with Malaysian Defense Minister Dato' Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"During the meeting, both leaders stated that with a renewed focus on Asia as part of the U.S. defense strategy, they look forward to strengthening the U.S.-Malaysia military-to-military relationship including expanding multilateral exercises," Little said in a written release.

The secretary specifically thanked Hamidi for Malaysian armed forces medical personnel deployed to Afghanistan.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA SPEAKS ON PACIFIC COMMAND AND CHANGES

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks to troops and civilian employees of U.S. Pacific Command headquarters on Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, May 31, 2012. Panetta is on a 10-day trip to the Asia Pacific to meet with defense counterparts. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo  

Pacific Command Stands at Forefront of Defense Change, Panetta Says
By Jim Garamone
CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii, May 31, 2012 - The personnel at U.S. Pacific Command are at the forefront of changes to American defense strategy, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said here today.

The secretary spoke to about 300 members of the command in front of the Nimitz-MacArthur headquarters building. The command has a huge role, "in promoting peace and prosperity and security throughout the Asia-Pacific region," Panetta said.

The new defense strategy will play out particularly in the Pacific, the secretary said. "It is going to be in your hands," he told them.

The secretary said new strategic guidance protects a strong military for the future while still cutting $487 billion over 10 years. Cuts to the military must be done carefully and must maintain the military capabilities needed to counter the possible threats. Officials used the strategic guidance to form the budget, and it was done carefully.

"The last damn thing I want to do is hollow out the force," Panetta said. "I want to ensure that we maintain the strongest military in the world, and I want to make sure that we don't break trust with those who have put their lives on the line -- you. What we promised you we will stick to."

The key elements of the strategy are at play in the Asia-Pacific region, he said. The American military must be more agile, more flexible and more deployable, and it must maintain capabilities on the cutting edge of technology.

"We've got to focus on where the main threats are," Panetta said. "That means we continue to focus on the Pacific region and the Middle East, because that's where the potential problems are for the future."

But the U.S. military has worldwide commitments and forces must show the flag in other parts of the world. "The way to do that is develop these kind of creative rotational movements that allow us to go into countries and be able to work with countries to develop their capabilities," he said.

The U.S. must be able to confront and defeat multiple threats at the same time. "If we have to fight a war in Korea at the same time we have to fight in the Middle East, we can do that, and we have to be able to do that," he said.

Finally, the strategy isn't just about cutting, but investing. The U.S. must invest in cyber capabilities, invest in space and invest in the technologies that make the military more agile and deployable.

Panetta stressed that service members are the key to the strategy. "It's because of you we really are at a turning point," he said. "We brought the war in Iraq to an end, we've given Iraq the opportunity to govern and secure itself."

There is also a plan to responsibly withdraw from Afghanistan, the secretary said.
"There is tough fighting ahead, but we are headed in the right direction," Panetta said. "We have successfully gone after al-Qaida, we[have]successfully gone after bin Laden and their leadership, and we've made very clear that nobody attacks the United States and gets away with it – nobody."

There is still a threat from al-Qaida but it has shifted to Yemen, Somalia and North Africa. And U.S. pressure has meant the organization cannot plan with impunity, he said.

"Look at the last 10 years, and we have something to point to because of those who were willing to serve, to put their lives on the line," he said. "Because of those who did everything we asked them to do, we are making the world safer."

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA DELIVERS INTREPID FREEDOM AWARD

Photo:  WWII Aircraft Carrier USS Intrepid.  Credit:  U.S. Navy.
FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Intrepid Freedom AwardAs Delivered by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, New York City, New York, Thursday, May 24, 2012
I want to express my profound regret for not being able to accept this award in person tonight.  I had very much looked forward to coming up to the city I love, and to being aboard that great ship, the USS Intrepid.

But I want you to know that I am profoundly honored by this award.  And I am proud to be associated with this organization and its noble mission of honoring the heroes of America's armed forces.

I know that many of those heroes are in the audience.  I'd like to acknowledge all the men and women from across the services who join us tonight, and all of the veterans – particularly those who served aboard the USS Intrepid.

I also want to pay special tribute to the Fisher family for the extraordinary work done by the Intrepid Family of Foundations.

The three Intrepid foundations – the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, the Fisher House Foundation, and the Intrepid Relief Fund – make a crucial difference in the life of our armed forces.

They provide critical support to our troops, veterans, wounded warriors, and their family members in times of hardship, in times of need, and in times of heartbreak.
Through the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, Americans learn a timeless lesson.  It is the lesson that our freedom, our security, and our very way of life are made possible only because there have been those among us willing to fight and to die to make it so.
Our men and women in uniform embody what makes America strong:  the determination to overcome any challenge, and the willingness to sacrifice for our children.
The Intrepid museum also reminds us of the strong spirit of innovation that courses through the life of the military, a spirit which has always been and remains the key to a strong national defense.

I'm talking about the ability to look around the corner, perceive new challenges, and develop ways to leap ahead of potential adversaries or competitors.
To not only be able to fight, but to be able to anticipate how and where and against whom we might need to fight.

These are the forces that led the military to develop the jet engine, to help send people and satellites to space, to build the Internet, and now to develop remotely piloted aircraft and automated vehicles.

The story of this ship is the story of innovation in the face of crisis and adversity.
As many of you know, the Intrepid's keel was laid more than 70 years ago, only one week before our country was brutally attacked at Pearl Harbor.  It would go on to play a decisive role in defeating the Japanese Navy and securing victory in the Pacific.
For more than ten years, we have been in a different kind of war than what the Intrepid confronted in the early years of her life.  From networks of violent extremists operating across the globe to ruthless insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, our military has fought an adversary determined to attack our homeland.  But just as with World War II, we have made clear that nobody attacks America and gets away with it.  What we have done to Bin Laden and al Qaeda's leadership sends a message that we will do whatever we have to do to protect our country.
It has been a decade of great challenge, but also of great change, of innovation and adaptation for the men and women of the United States military.  Across the services our men and women have become vastly more networked, more capable and more effective at operating on the 21st century battlefield.

This next greatest generation of heroes has exemplified the spirit of innovation and leadership that runs through the United States military.

These men and women, who have fought and bled for us over the last ten years, want to find ways to lead and to contribute to a better future for their children.
As leaders in business and as leaders in government, we need to find ways to support them and their families – by helping those who are leaving the service find good jobs, by supporting their educational ambitions, and by helping them start a business.

These are men and women who have been tested by war, who have demonstrated the greatest qualities of leadership, sacrifice, and innovation.  I have had no greater honor in life than to lead them as Secretary of Defense.  In them I see the best that America has to offer, and I see a hope for a better future.
Thank you all for your support of them and thank you again for this award.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA POSITIVE TALK ON SUPPLY LINES FROM PAKISTAN TO AFGHANISTAN

Photo Credit:  U. S. Air Force
FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Panetta: U.S., Pakistan Progressing in Supply-line Talks
By Cheryl Pellerin
NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., May 21, 2012 - The United States continues to negotiate with Pakistan toward a resolution that will lead to the reopening of transport routes that have been closed since November to supplies bound for troops in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today.

During a news conference at the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, Panetta said it was a positive sign that Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari attended the NATO summit that ended today.

"We still have a way to go, but I think the good news is that we are negotiating and that we are making some progress," Panetta said.

"It is extremely important that ultimately we're able to open up those lines of communication and transport so that we can expedite the assistance that needs to go to our men and women in uniform who are fighting the battle," the secretary added.

The countries' precarious affiliation ruptured Nov. 26 when a cross-border attack by NATO forces at a border coordination center in Afghanistan's Kunar province killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan also has protested suspected U.S. drone strikes.

At this stage, Panetta said, "I guess I would say that I feel a lot more positive about the effort to try to see if we can find a resolution to that challenge."

Another continuing challenge associated with Pakistan and Afghanistan involves the Taliban.

"I think we understand that the biggest challenge is a Taliban that is resilient, that is going to continue to fight even though they've been weakened -- and I think the levels of violence are down -- and that they're going to continue to conduct attacks," the secretary said.

Coalition troops and Afghan national security forces will have to confront that enemy, he said, adding that he has every confidence that the Afghan army can respond effectively and be part of that effort.

"We are still dealing with a resilient enemy that in many ways still has a safe haven in Pakistan," Panetta said. "And that, I think, represents the greatest threat that we're facing."

SEC. OF DEFENSE PANNETA WARNS AMERICA TO REMAIN VIGILANT REGARDING TERRORIST ATTACKS

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Panetta: U.S. Must Stay Vigilant Against Terrorist Attacks
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 8, 2012 - A recent attempt by Yemeni-based terrorists to plant an explosive device on an airliner bound for the United States shows the nation needs to remain vigilant against new acts of terrorism, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

In a plot whose details may never be fully known, U.S. and Yemeni operatives last month disrupted the plans of a bomber affiliated with al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, to detonate a plastic explosive device aboard a commercial aircraft.

"What this incident makes clear is that this country has to continue to remain vigilant against those who would seek to attack this country," Panetta said during a news conference yesterday. "And we will do everything necessary to keep America safe."

On Air Force One today, White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Barack Obama, who was briefed on the operation in early April, is pleased with the success of intelligence and counterterrorism officials in foiling the attempt by al-Qaida to use the explosive device.

"It is indicative of the kind of work that our intelligence and counterterrorism services are performing regularly to counter the threat posed by al-Qaida in general, and AQAP in particular," Carney said. "At no time were Americans in danger as a result of this."
During an interview this morning on NBC's "Today," John Brennan, chief White House counterterrorism advisor, said international cooperation was key to the operation's success.

"It took very close cooperation with our international partners," Brennan said. "This is something that we have really emphasized over the past many years -- working very closely with our Yemeni partners -- because al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula poses a serious threat to us."

Having the intelligence and being able to take action before any IEDs can reach an airplane or an airport, he added, is instrumental in disrupting such attacks.

According to news reports, the IED was plastic, similar to the one Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab tried to use on Christmas Day 2009 on Northwest Airlines flight 253, en route from Amsterdam to Detroit. AQAP claimed credit for that attempted attack.

"AQAP's bomb maker, Ibrahim al-Asiri, has demonstrated real proficiency as far as concealment methods as well as the materials that are used in these IEDs," Brennan said.
The FBI is examining the IED to see what kind of modifications or refinements may have been made, he added.

The United States also adapts its countermeasures, Brennan said.
"Whatever we learn from this IED, we're going to ensure that it's going to be incorporated into the measures that we take at airports, as well as any other avenues of approach that the would-be terrorists would take," the president's counterterrorism advisor said.
Brennan said no one has to worry about the IED or the would-be bomber.
"This is still in a sensitive stage," he added. "We're working very closely with those partners. We want to protect sources and methods, as well as operational equities. But neither the device nor the would-be bomber poses a threat."

Now, Brennan added, "we're taking additional measures in the event that there are other efforts out there on the part of al-Qaida to try to evade security."

In New Delhi, today, on the last segment of her trip to Asia, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the thwarted terrorist attack is on the minds of U.S. and Indian officials.

Both governments "know the tragedies and losses that come with terrorism on our soil," she told reporters.

"We have increased our cooperation between India and the United States," she added, and we're going to continue to do everything we can not only to prevent terrorists from carrying out their evil acts of violence, but also to try to convince people not to be recruited into terrorism, which is very much of a dead end, literally and figuratively, when it comes to pursuing any kind of political or ideological aims."
The plot itself indicates that the terrorists will keep trying, she said.

"They keep trying to devise more and more perverse and terrible ways to kill innocent people," the secretary of state added. "And it's a reminder as to why we have to remain vigilant at home and abroad in protecting our nation and in protecting friendly nations and peoples like India and others."

U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY AND CHINESE DEFENSE MINISTER HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE AT THE PENTAGON

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta conducts a joint news conference with Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Liang Guanglie at the Pentagon, May 7, 2012. DOD photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

Panetta: U.S.-China Relationship One of World's Most Critical
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 7, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta welcomed Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Liang Guanglie to the Pentagon today as part of the first U.S. visit by a Chinese defense minister in nine years.

Liang's visit occurs at a time when the armed forces of both nations seek to expand cooperation, improve understanding, build trust and reduce differences.
"The United States and China are both Pacific powers, and our relationship is one of the most critical in the world," Panetta said at a news conference with Liang after their meeting.

"In my meeting with General Liang, I expressed my commitment to achieving and maintaining a healthy, stable, reliable and continuous [military-to-military] relationship with China," the secretary said, adding that at Liang's invitation he will visit China within the next few months.

"We share many interests across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond," Panetta added, "from humanitarian assistance to concerns about weapons of mass destruction to terrorism to drug interdictions to trade to counterpiracy."

The nations have worked together in several areas, the secretary said, and expect to expand cooperation in areas such as peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and counterpiracy.

"As you all know," Panetta said, "the U.S. Department of Defense recently released a new defense strategy, recognizing that no region is more important than the Asia-Pacific for our country's future peace and prosperity."

Liang spoke through an interpreter, describing the purpose of his visit as being "to implement the important agreement reached by President Hu Jintao and President [Barack] Obama on developing the China-U.S. state-to-state and military-to-military relationship."

As part of that agreement, the general said, both nations' militaries will continue to take advantage of ongoing defense consultative talks, defense policy coordination talks, the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement and the defense telephone link between Washington and Beijing.

Both sides, he added, acknowledge that cooperation in security areas in the Asia-Pacific region serves each other's fundamental interests, and that both agree to conduct joint exercises on disaster recovery and counterpiracy operations this year.
"At present, China-U.S. bilateral relationship is on a new starting line in history," Liang said, "to build a new kind of military relationship based on equality, cooperation and mutual benefit."

On his tour of U.S. defense facilities, Liang visited Naval Base San Diego in California over the weekend. After he leaves Washington, he will travel to Miami to visit the U.S. Southern Command and its commander, Air Force Gen. Douglas Fraser.

There, Southcom officials will highlight opportunities for practical cooperation in areas such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and expand the conversation on nontraditional security cooperation efforts such as counternarcotics, an important part of Southcom's mission.
May 9, Liang will visit Camp Lejeune, N.C., for meetings and interaction with 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force and a chance to interact with some of the senior Marine Corps noncommissioned officers.

He also will visit Fort Benning, Ga., Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., to have lunch with cadets.

At today's news conference, Panetta described several ways in which the United States and China have already worked together and will expand -- including peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and counterpiracy.

"On counterpiracy," he said, "China has ably conducted maritime operations in the Gulf of Aden for more than three years, and these operations have helped to secure the free flow of commerce in vital sea lanes from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean."

Thanking Liang for those efforts, the secretary said that later this year U.S. and Chinese ships will conduct a combined counterpiracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden.

Panetta said he also conveyed his appreciation to Liang for China co-chairing a group dedicated to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

On regional security challenges, the two leaders discussed North Korea and other areas of mutual interest, Panetta said, "areas that require our continued cooperation and dialogue." They also spoke about maritime areas, cyberspace, nuclear proliferation and missile defense, the secretary said.

The goal is to enhance cooperation throughout the region and with China to promote peace and stability there, Panetta said.

"We recognize that the United States and China will not always agree on every issue," he added, "but we believe our military-to-military dialogue is critical to ensuring that we avoid dangerous misunderstandings and misperceptions that could lead to crisis.

"A positive, cooperative, comprehensive United States-China relationship is absolutely essential to achieving a secure Asia-Pacific region," he continued, "and a more secure future for both of our nations."

DEFENSE SECRETARY PANETTA SAYS CLIMATE CHANGE A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks at an annual reception for the Environmental Defense Fund at the Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C., May 2, 2012. Panetta thanked the organization for recognizing Defense Department efforts to make military bases and equipment more efficient and environmentally friendly. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo  



Panetta: Environment Emerges as National Security Concern
By Nick Simeone
WASHINGTON, May 3, 2012 - Climate and environmental change are emerging as national security threats that weigh heavily in the Pentagon's new strategy, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told an environmental group last night.

"The area of climate change has a dramatic impact on national security," Panetta said here at a reception hosted by the Environmental Defense Fund to honor the Defense Department in advancing clean energy initiatives. "Rising sea levels, severe droughts, the melting of the polar caps, the more frequent and devastating natural disasters all raise demand for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," Panetta said.

Panetta cited the melting of Arctic ice in renewing a longstanding call for the Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea. More than 150 nations have accepted the treaty, which has been in force since the early 1990s, and a succession of U.S. government administrations have urged ratification.

Among other things, the convention would guarantee various aspects of passage and overflight for the U.S. military. Panetta urged his audience to use their influence to push for treaty ratification. "We are the only industrialized nation that has not approved that treaty," he said.

The secretary also said he has great concern about energy-related threats to homeland security that are not driven by climate change.

"I have a deep interest in working to try to ensure from a security perspective that we take measures that will help facilitate and maintain power in the event of an interruption of the commercial grid that could be caused, for example, by a cyber attack which is a reality that we have to confront," he said.

Budget considerations compound the issue, the secretary said. The Defense Department spent about $15 billion on fuel for military operations last year. In Afghanistan alone, the Pentagon uses more than 50 million gallons of fuel each month on average. Combined with rising gas prices, this creates new budget issues for the department, Panetta said.
"We now face a budget shortfall exceeding $3 billion because of higher-than-expected fuel costs this year," he told the audience.

Having grown up in pristine Monterey, Calif., Panetta said, he has a lifelong interest in protecting the nation's resources. He pledged to continue to keep the Defense Department on the cutting edge in the push for clean energy and environmental friendly initiatives, a chief reason why the Environmental Defense Fund honored the department.
"In the next fiscal year, we are going to be investing more than a billion dollars in more efficient aircraft and aircraft engines, in hybrid electric drives for our ships, in improved generators, in microgrids for combat bases and combat vehicle energy-efficient programs," he said. "We are investing another billion dollars to make our installations here at home more energy-efficient, and we are using them as the test bed to demonstrate next-generation energy technologies."

PENTAGON FORCE PROTECTION AGENCY TURNS TEN YEARS OLD

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE 
Photo:  U.S. Navy
Agency Marks Decade of Protecting Pentagon
By Jim Garamone
WASHINGTON, May 2, 2012 - The Pentagon is a symbol of American military might, and that makes it a target that must be protected, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today during a 10th anniversary celebration of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency.

The organization grew from the ashes of Sept. 11, 2001, when 184 people died in the terror attack on the building.

The agency secures the Pentagon and 116 other properties that make up the Pentagon reservation. "We cannot do what we do without you," Panetta told the organization's men and women at today's observance.

"I see a lot of you every day, and I know that wherever you're stationed, I always feel a lot better knowing that you are there protecting this building," he said.

Panetta noted that the observance was taking place a year and a day after 9/11's architect was killed. "Just yesterday, the nation marked one year since the operation that successfully took down Osama bin Laden," he said. "It was a day that I hope Americans take the time to thank the very dedicated intelligence and military professionals who planned and executed that raid that delivered justice to al-Qaida's leader."

Panetta was CIA director during the operation. "I have to tell you, to this day that it was a remarkable experience and one of the greatest memories in 40 years that I've been in Washington," he said. "Having the opportunity to work with the intelligence professionals, to work with Adm. Bill McRaven (then chief of the Joint Special Operations Command), to work with the SEALs in that operation was incredible. This was because of the professionalism and great dedication involved with that mission. It was the kind of stuff that makes you proud to be an American."

The men and women of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency play a vital role in ensuring the people who work at the Pentagon can accomplish their mission, Panetta said. "Your mission of protecting those that protect America is critical," he said. "Frankly, we could not do our jobs without you. It allows the roughly 23,000 employees here at the Pentagon to focus on their jobs, because they all know that there are dedicated men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect us."

The agency grew from the Federal Protective Service and the Defense Protective Service, said Agency Director Steven Calvery. Following 9/11, the agency took a different turn, and its ranks now include law enforcement officers, physical security personnel, investigators and technicians trained to handle terrorist attacks, explosives or weapons of mass destruction. The agency provides vital protection across the board for the Pentagon.

And the building needs that protection, "because the Pentagon is much more than just an extremely large, odd-shaped building," Panetta said. "The Pentagon is a symbol. It is an unmistakable symbol of United States military power."

In the 10 years since its founding, the agency has faced down many challenges. In 2010, two officers, Jeffrey Amos and Marvin Carraway, were wounded as they shot a lone gunman who tried to break into the building. "Who knows how many casualties would have resulted if he had gained entry?" Panetta said. "Thankfully, he was stopped by the swift reaction of our brave police officers."

Officer James Feltis was another agency officer who displayed selfless service. In January 2005, he spotted a car coming the wrong way up an exit ramp, and without considering the risks, stepped out of his booth to try to stop the car. The vehicle, which had been carjacked by an armed robber, gained speed and struck Feltis, who died a month later of his injuries. He is the lone agency officer to die in the line of duty. His widow, Mary, attended the 10th anniversary celebration.

"You and your family will always be part of our defense family," Panetta told her.
Panetta thanked all members of the agency for their support and professionalism. Jonathan H. Cofer, the agency's deputy director, joined Officer Michael Marker and K-9 Officer Duke in surprising Panetta by making the secretary's dog Bravo an honorary member of the Pentagon's K-9 corps.

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FEARS SPREAD OF EXTREMISM IN LATIN AMERICA

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Panetta: Violent Extremism Threatens Latin America

By Cheryl Pellerin

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 24, 2012 - Even in a region where some of the United States' closest military partners are steadily improving national stability and security, the threat of violent extremism is spreading, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here yesterday.

During a weeklong trip that includes stops in Bogota, Colombia; Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Santiago, Chile, the secretary is meeting with military and political leaders to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to help with common defense challenges.

Increasingly, one of those challenges involves violent extremist organizations and the growing engagement of Iran in the region.

"We always have a concern about, in particular, the [Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps] and efforts by the IRGC to expand their influence, not only throughout the Middle East but also into this region," Panetta said during a briefing en route to Colombia.

"In my book," he added, "that relates to expanding terrorism."

Last month, in written testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Air Force Gen. Douglas M. Fraser, commander of the U.S. Southern Command, detailed the regional activities of Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based Shi'a Muslim militant group and political party, and Iran.

Southcom's area of responsibility includes Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

"We do see evidence of international terrorist groups benefitting from the intertwined systems of illicit trafficking and money laundering in our AOR," Fraser said.

In South America, funding for Hezbollah is raised through charitable donations as well as through drug trafficking and dealing in counterfeit and pirated goods, he said.

In 2011, the U.S. Treasury Department identified the Lebanese Canadian Bank as a "primary money laundering concern" for its role in facilitating money laundering activities of Ayman Joumaa and his Lebanon-based drug trafficking network, which also channeled financial support to Hezbollah.

Joumaa also is accused of smuggling U.S.-bound cocaine through Central America and Mexico and laundering money for a group called Los Zetas, and many Colombian and Venezuelan suppliers.

"In addition to Hezbollah supporters throughout South America, the region is home to a small number of violent extremist organizations, Fraser said.

"We remain vigilant for the potential radicalization of homegrown extremists," the general added.

For example, a small number of Sunni extremists are involved in the radicalization of converts and other Muslims, Fraser told the panel.

"These efforts can be seen through the influence of public personalities like Jamaica's Shaykh Abdullah al-Faisal, who was convicted in the United Kingdom for inciting terrorism," the general said.

Al-Qaida senior operative Adnan el-Shukrijumah has held valid passports for the United States, as well as Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, where he has family and associates, Fraser added.

Despite recent convictions in a 2007 plot to attack the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, one alleged co-conspirator remains at large in Guyana, he said.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has visited the region six times in six years, and Iran continues its overtures to countries there to try to circumvent international sanctions, Fraser said.

Iran has established modest economic, cultural and security ties, the general added, mostly with nations aligned with a group known as the Bolivarian Alliance for the People of our Americas, called ALBA. These include Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Cuba.

Iran also has established 36 Shi'a cultural centers in the region, Fraser said.

The Fundacion Cultural Oriente is an Iranian outreach center dedicated to strengthening Iran's ties to Latin America, Fraser said.

The center is run by radical cleric Moshen Rabbani, who is on the Interpol Red List for involvement in the 1994 bombings of a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires, the general said, adding that Rabbani oversees several media outlets and has recruited students from the region to study in Iran.

"We take Iranian activity in the hemisphere seriously and we monitor its activities closely," Fraser said.

"The U.S. government's successful detection and thwarting of the plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States," he added, "reinforces the importance of that monitoring and the effectiveness of U.S. countermeasures."

The expansion of terrorism is an area of concern for the region and its partners, Panetta said.

"I hope we can work together," the secretary added, "to make sure that all the steps are taken to ensure that anything that encourages terrorism can be fought against."