Defence Minister Tea Banh will lead a delegation of about 10 other senior military officials to Vientiane, Laos, to attend the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting from May 24 to 27, which will focus on regional cooperation in defence technology and natural-disaster response.

Defence Ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat yesterday told the Post two documents will be signed at the highest-level regional defence meeting: one related to security technology and one related to cooperation in disaster relief.

Relief efforts “remained a common regional concern from the recent drought . . . Regional military cooperation is very important, as it would help . . . in sharing information for relief of the people who are affected by flood and drought caused by climate change,” Socheat said.

Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam have been affected by the worst drought since 1979, National Committee for Disaster Management spokesman Keo Vy said yesterday.