Southeast Asia hails world's first multilateral air encounter code

ASEAN defence ministers pose for a group photo at the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting in Singapore October 19, 2018. REUTERS/Edgar Su

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Southeast Asian countries agreed on Friday to guidelines to manage unexpected encounters between their military aircraft, with host Singapore calling the pact a world first and saying they would encourage their international partners to join.

The agreement, signed by defence ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at a conference in Singapore, includes a region-wide pact on the exchange of information on terrorism threats.