His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam on Monday received in audience Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (US INDO-PACOM) Admiral John C Aquilino.

Accompanying the admiral were US Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Caryn McClelland, Executive Assistant Captain Melvin Smith and Office of Defense Cooperation Chief Lieutenant Commander Samuel S Kim.

Deputy Minister of Defence Brigadier General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Razak bin Haji Abdul Kadir and Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan were also present.

Brunei and the US have enjoyed a close and long-standing defence relationship that has been cemented since November 29, 1994 through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation.

Bilateral defence relations have strengthened with cooperation in the form of visits, defence and military meetings, exercises, trainings, professional exchanges, and cross-attendance of courses.

The two countries also cooperate with one another at a multilateral level through the Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT), the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the Chief of Defence Conference (CHOD) and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).

The admiral and his delegation are in the Sultanate for a three-day visit from August 7 to today.

The audience ceremony took place at Istana Nurul Iman.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin