JOHN Chipman: Ministers,
members of houses of parliament, delegates, welcome to the opening plenary of the 17th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue.
MR Chipman: In about two minutes we will move immediately
to the second plenary on the important issue of de-escalating the North Korean crisis, but I hope you all agree with me that we have had just now a very clear statement from the U.S. secretary of defense.