The two-day event has attracted more than 300 delegates, including 150 officials, scholars, researchers and experts from 21 CSCAP member countries.

The conference, which takes place in the wake of the 19th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Bali , Indonesia , is scheduled to assess impacts of new developments in the regional security architecture on an environment of peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region.

Addressing the opening session, Viet Nam ’s Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan emphasised the rising position of the Asia Pacific region, thanks to growth and an environment of peace and stability, and also acknowledged underlying risks of unrest for the region, including non-traditional security challenges.

Although regional countries have exerted efforts to build an effective regional security architecture, the region does not have enough appropriate cooperative mechanisms to cope with these challenges, he said.

In the morning session of Nov. 21, participants discussed measures to cope with the threat of nuclear weapon proliferation in the context of rising demand for nuclear energy use for peaceful purposes.

They also discussed measures to ensure maritime security, including different aspects of building a code of conduct in the region.

The CSCAP -- a semi-official security organisation -- was established in 1993 with the aim of building confidence in the region through consultancy, dialogue and cooperation.

The organisation comprises 21 full members, including eight ASEAN member countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam, Australia, Canada, China, the EU, India, Japan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Republic of Korea (RoK), Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea. Russia and the US . /.