U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DONALD RUMSFELD ON SATURDAY HAILED AN EXPANDING NETWORK OF MULTILATERAL SECURITY COOPERATION IN ASIA AND CALLED ON CHINA TO "DEMYSTIFY" ITS MILITARY SPENDING. JOINT ACTIONS AGAINST TERRORISM AND PIRACY AND DISASTER RELIEF HELPED FLESH OUT A SYSTEM FOR AN ASIAN REGION THAT HAS LACKED INSTITUTIONS LIKE NATO IN EUROPE AND INSTEAD RELIED ON U.S. BILATERAL ALLIANCES, THE PENTAGON CHIEF TOLD DEFENCE OFFICIALS AND EXPERTS IN SINGAPORE. "NOW WE SEE AN EXPANDING NETWORK OF SECURITY COOPERATION IN THIS REGION, BOTH BILATERALLY BETWEEN NATIONS AND MULTILATERALLY AMONG NATIONS, WITH THE UNITED STATES AS A PARTNER," HE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING BY REUTERS. "WE SEE THIS AS A WELCOME SHIFT," RUMSFELD TOLD THE ANNUAL SHANGRI-LA DIALOGUE IN THIS SOUTHEAST ASIAN CITY-STATE.
