Andrew J. Shapiro, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs
Andrew J. Shapiro, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, has begun his week-long trip to Southeast Asia to strengthen defense and security ties within the region. From February 8-16, Assistant Secretary Shapiro will be travelling to the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Assistant Secretary Shapiro’s agenda is as follows:
February 9-11, Manila, Philippines – Building on consultations from the recent U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Security Dialogue held in Washington on January 26-27, Assistant Secretary Shapiro will consult with senior civilian and military officials on how to further enhance defense and maritime security cooperation.
February 12-13, Jakarta, Indonesia – Assistant Secretary Shapiro will meet with senior officials to further bilateral political-military cooperation. A key issue to be discussed is Indonesia’s recent decision to upgrade its air force with the acquisition of F-16 aircraft. Assistant Secretary Shapiro will also attend the groundbreaking for the new U.S.-funded barracks at DeoSentul Peacekeeping Training Center in West Java, which is Southeast Asia’s largest training facility for specialized military and civilian personnel serving in UN peacekeeping forces.
February 14-16, Singapore – Assistant Secretary Shapiro will attend the 2012 Singapore Air Show, which is the largest aerospace and defense event in Asia. There will also be meetings with senior Singaporean government officials and industry representatives to discuss political-military and defense trade issues.
February 15, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Assistant Secretary Shapiro will hold bilateral meetings with senior civilian and defense officials from Malaysia.
For more information, click here to view the U.S. Department of State’s Press Release.
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