Hanoi (VNA), Feb. 18 -- A meeting of the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials' Meeting Working Group (ADSOM WG) was held on February 18 in the framework of the 2020 ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Retreat (ADMM Retreat) in Hanoi.

The meeting was attended by defence officials from ASEAN countries and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat.

Following up on the ADSOM WG meeting in Da Nang last January, this ADSOM WG meeting reviewed and completed documents and contents of the ADMM Retreat to take place on February 19, particularly a thematic statement of ASEAN Defence Ministers on defence cooperation in response to epidemics.

Participants at the ADSOM WG reached consensus that such a statement is necessary and timely in the context of comp...