Asians talk of peace, but look to buy more arms

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asias defence policymakers spoke of peace in the regions top security conference in
Singapore, but have been also huddling in the corridors of a luxury hotel haggling over deals with arms suppliers.
The annual Asia Security Conference, a forum for discussion, brought together some of the worlds main
arms-makers with military chiefs nervously eyeing their neighbours moves and looking to upgrade defences in a
region full of long-running insurgencies, potential maritime disputes and growing wealth.
Defence suppliers find it very important to be here to make a set of contacts, said Jonathan Pollack, professor
of Asian and Pacific Studies at the US Naval War College.
Japans Defence Minister told the gathering that the country, anxious about North Koreas latest nuclear test,
would not strike first but it was still looking to boost its air force with Lockheed Martin F-22 fighter jets.
Top executives from firms such as Boeing, the Pentagons No 2 defence supplier, flew to Singapore to rub
shoulders with potential clients, as they look to expand foreign sales at a time when the Obama government is
starting to cap defence project spending.
In the event that Im meeting with any defence suppliers, it will be the last Ill be speaking to you, Sri Lankas
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told Reuters, fresh from a military success that ended a two-decade old
Tamil Tiger insurgency.
Boeings defence chief Jim Albaugh told a briefing he saw growing Asian demand for air and naval forces as
the region looks to protect its trade and territory.
Boeing met with Indias top military official Vijay Singh at one of the hotels private conference rooms, but the
meeting was brief, and Vijay Singh later met with Britains BAE Systems.
Boeing may not have had much luck, as Cambodias Defence Minister Tea Banh told Reuters he also met
Boeing but was not buying anything for now.
Boeing is vying for a $10b Indian contract for warplanes, one of the worlds biggest arms deals, together with
Lockheed, Saab, Russia and a European consortium.
India plans to spend more than $30b over the next five years to modernise its largely Soviet-era weapons
systems. China is spending 15 per cent more on its military budget this year, leading to fears among some of an
Asian arms race.
What you do see in the region is a reaction between the military programmes of certain countries, said Tim
Huxley, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the conferences organiser. There
are many players, each of which is looking over their shoulders.
Indonesia, hoping to update its hardware, spoke at the meeting to US Defence Secretary Robert Gates about
buying Lockheed C-130 transport planes, and told Reuters it could be in a financial position in 2-3 years to buy
jets and submarines.
The worlds fourth-most populous nation aims to raise its defence spending to 1.2pc of GDP within five years,
from 0.68pc or $3.3b now, its defence minister said. Indonesias southern neighbour Australia this month
released a blueprint for a $72b military upgrade, though its defence minister told the conference spending was
rather modest when looking across the region.
Australias Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was asked at the meeting if the defence plan clashed with his vision for a
regional security architecture and EU-style community, and replied countries had to pursue that and a defence
build-up.
The chance of conflict can never be ruled out, Rudd said.