U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense to speak at Galle Dialogue 2011

Colombo Page
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A high ranking defence official of the Department of Defense will represent the United States at Sri Lanka's International Maritime Security Conference that is to be commenced in the southern port city of Galle today (14).

The two-day international conference is held at the Lighthouse Hotel, Galle for the second consecutive year by the Sri Lanka Navy under the aegis of Ministry of Defence.

Local and foreign scholars and experts in maritime and naval affairs are expected to share their views at this two-day dialogue, held under the theme, "Challenges and Strategic Cooperation for Indian Ocean Maritime Concerns".

The U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Robert Scher will speak at the "Galle Dialogue 2011" today (14) to present U.S. perspectives on security in the Indian Ocean, the U. S. Embassy in Colombo said in a statement.

Scher will speak on "Importance of Common Strategies for Global and Regional Maritime Security" at the conference.

Secretary to Ministry of Defence & Urban Development of Sri Lanka Gotabhaya Rajapaksa will deliver the key note address at the inaugural session.

The high ranking U.S. defense official is expected to highlight the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean, discuss opportunities for defense cooperation in the areas of demining, maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster response and reiterate the U.S. Government's commitment to upholding international human rights standards for all countries.

While in Galle, Scher will meet with Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and other government officials, the Embassy said.

The Embassy statement said the U.S. has a longstanding history of being forward deployed around the globe, and remains committed to the region.

According to the official statement, the U.S. Navy routinely operates in the Indian Ocean, conducting maritime security operations, and being poised to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

"The U.S. recognizes the importance of multilateral approaches to promoting security in the Indian Ocean and aims to expand cooperation with regional partners," the statement noted.

The Dialogue this year is aimed at continuing the discussion with experiences of events over the past 15 months. Participants from over 20 countries are expected to discuss on a broad spectrum of maritime issues.

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