SINGAPORE, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Members of the Five Power Defense Arrangements (FPDA) have agreed to explore ways of cooperation in an new area of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, Singapore's Defense Minister Teo Chee Hean said here Monday.

    At a press conference held after the sixth FPDA Defense Ministers' Meeting on Monday, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Najib Razak said that he has put forward the proposal of setting up a regional humanitarian relief coordinating center at the meeting.

    Other FPDA members, including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Britain, have expressed their support for the idea and officials will be tasked to work out a plan for the project, Razak said, adding that the initiative will also include other countries which have been actively involved in disaster relief operations in the region.

    The ministers also agreed to further enhance the collaboration and capabilities among the armed forces of their countries to deal with conventional and non-conventional security threats such as maritime security, according to Teo.

    "In particular, the ministers looked forward to the conduct of the inaugural major joint FPDA exercise, Suman Protector, in 2007," said a statement issued by Singapore's Ministry of Defense.

    Visiting Australian Defense Minister Brendan Nelson, New Zealand Defense Minister Phil Goff, British Minister of State for the Armed Forces Adam Ingram, as well as Razak, called on Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday evening.

    The five ministers will leave Singapore for Malaysia on Monday afternoon.

    The Five Power Defense Arrangements were concluded in 1971. Enditem