The three-day annual meeting, known as the 12th IISS Asia Security Summit The Shangri-La Dialogue, is being organized by London-based think tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). 

Indonesia's defense minister ,Purnomo Yusgiantoro, will attend the summit and hold bilateral talks with newly appointed US defense secretary Chuck Hagel on the sidelines of the meeting. It will be Hagel's first trip to the region and first time directly engaging with defense leaders of key countries in Asia.

Though Indonesia is not a claimant country in the South China Sea dispute, it has a vital interest in building regional security architecture based on its concept called 'dynamic equilibrium'.

This year, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung  will deliver the opening keynote address on Friday night. Last year, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono delivered the keynote address.  

The participation of Vietnam, one of the major claimants of the South China Sea, and another main claimant ,China, in a dialogue that aims find a modus vivendi to the troublesome South China Sea dispute, will be a major highlight of the summit.  

'We are delighted that Prime Minster Nguyen Tan Dung will be speaking at the dialogue. His participation and perspective on current defense issues and conflict resolution opportunities will add significant weight to the crucial discussions regarding regional security that will take place,' IISS CEO and director-general John Chipman said in a statement sent to The Jakarta Post.

China will be represented by the People's Liberation Army's deputy chief of the general staff ,Lt. Gen. Qi Jianguo.

From Europe, according to Chipman, defense ministers from Germany, France and Britain, European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton  and Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt will be attending the summit.

Over the years the Shangri-La Dialogue emerged as an important platform to discuss regional security issues. 'The Summit is now recognized as an indispensable element of the Asia-Pacific's regional security architecture. This year, as always, will provide a crucial space where ministers and key officials can discuss security policy issues present and future,' Chipman said.

But some scholars are criticizing the meeting, calling it a talking shop.

'The Shangri-La Dialogue is basically a meeting of defense officials. The deliberations will be mostly normative in nature,' the executive director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies Rizal Sukma told the Post recently.

Popular

Indonesian hotel chain confirms exit from Cuba

Corruption scandals, rupiah fall revive reshuffle talks

Health Ministry to push regulation on tobacco plain packaging