ASEAN talks will address ‘security architecture’

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel will host the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations defense ministers in Honolulu next week.

The ASEAN meeting Tuesday through April 3 will be the first of its kind to take place in the United States, the Pentagon said.

"The forum will provide an opportunity for defense leaders to discuss a shared vision for a dynamic, peaceful, and secure future for the region," the Defense Department said in a news release.

Hagel and the ministers will address such issues as disaster relief and the "regional security architecture," according to the Pentagon. They will also receive briefings and demonstrations of U.S. capabilities from the U.S. Pacific Command.

ASEAN’s member include Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.