ASEAN Summit

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ASEAN Summit
Motto:
"One Vision, One Identity, One Community"

ASEAN members shown in green.

Headquarters

Member states

Indonesia

10 states[show]

Leaders
- Secretary General

Establishment

Le Luong Minh

8 August 1967

Website
http://www.asean.org/

The ASEAN Summit is an annual meeting held by the member of theAssociation of Southeast
Asian Nations in relation to economic, and cultural development of Southeast Asian countries.[2]
The league of ASEAN is currently connected with other countries who aimed to participate on
the missions and visions of the league. Apparently, the league is conducting an annual meetings with

other countries in an organisation collectively known as the ASEAN dialogue partners. ASEAN +3
adds China,Japan and South Korea. The formal summit are held in three days. The usual itinerary
are as follows:

ASEAN leaders hold an internal organisation meeting.

ASEAN leaders hold a conference together with foreign ministers of the ASEAN Regional
Forum.

Leaders of 3 ASEAN Dialogue Partners (also known as ASEAN+3) namely China, Japan and
South Korea hold a meeting with the ASEAN leaders.

And a separate meeting is set for leaders of 2 ASEAN Dialogue Partners (also known as
ASEAN+CER) namely Australia and New Zealand.
Contents
[hide]

1 History
2 Locations

3 Issues
o

3.1 Thailand

3.2 Myanmar (Burma)

3.3 East Timor

3.4 14th ASEAN Summit and Protests

4 Free trade
o

4.1 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation

5 References

6 External links

History[edit]
The First ASEAN summit was held in February 1976 in Bali.[3] At this summit, ASEAN expressed its
readiness to "develop fruitful relations" and mutually beneficial co-operation with other countries of
the region.[4] The ASEAN leaders signed theTreaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
On 2nd ASEAN summit held on Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1977 was the occasion for the first
summit meeting betweenJapan and ASEAN. Japan expressed its intention to promote co-operation
with ASEAN.[5]
On 9th ASEAN Summit; A meeting on 7 October 2003 on Bali, Indonesia. The leaders of the
members nations signed a declaration known as the Bali Concord II in which they agreed to pursue
closer economic integration by 2020.
According to the declaration, "an ASEAN Community" would be set upon three pillars, "namely
political and security cooperation, economic cooperation, and socio-cultural cooperation; For the
purpose of ensuring durable peace, stability and shared prosperity in the region." The plan

envisaged a region with a population of 500 million and annual trade of US$720 billion. Also, a free
trade area would be established in the region by 2020. ASEAN's leaders also discussed setting up a
security community alongside the economic one, though without any formal military alliance.
During the same meeting, the People's Republic of China and ASEAN have also agreed to work
faster toward a mutual trade agreement, which will create the world's most populous market, with 1.7
billion consumers. Japan also signed an agreement pledging to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers
with ASEAN members.
On the 11th ASEAN summit last 1214 December 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Seven main
issues were discussed during the Summit. The issues are:

the spread of bird flu

southern Thailand conflict

democracy in Myanmar

crude oil prices fluctuation and poverty

investment and trade

ASEAN Charter

Immediately after the summit ended, the inaugural East Asia Summit was held.
The 12th ASEAN Summit was originally set to be hosted on Cebu island in the Philippines from
December 10 to 14. However on December 8, organisers decided to move the summit schedule to
1215 January 2007 due to Typhoon Seniang. Cebu Metropolitan Area (composed of Cebu
City, Mandaue City, Talisay City, and Lapu-Lapu City) jointly hosted varied events of the summit. The
actual conference was held at the Cebu International Convention Centre in Mandaue City while
the Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort & Spa in Lapu-Lapu City provided accommodations for
delegates and venues for smaller meetings.
At the 12th ASEAN Summit, the member countries of ASEAN signed five agreements pertaining to
continuing integration of ASEAN and enhancing political, economic and social cooperation in the
region:[6]

Cebu Declaration Towards a Caring and Sharing Community.

Cebu Declaration on the Blueprint for the ASEAN Charter.
Cebu Declaration on the Acceleration of the Establishment of an ASEAN Community by
2015.

ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers.

ASEAN Convention on Counter Terrorism.

The 13th ASEAN Summit was held from 1822 November 2007, in Singapore. The theme was "One
ASEAN at the Heart of Dynamic Asia".
The key theme of the discussions was set to be on "Energy, Environment, Climate Change and
Sustainable Development". In line with the theme, the ASEAN Leaders' Declaration on
Environmental Sustainability was signed at the 13th ASEAN Summit and a proposal to work on a
Singapore Declaration on the Environment was issued at the 3rd East Asia Summit.

The leaders had endorsed the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint which will help chart concrete
targets for establishing a single market and production base in the ASEAN region by 2015.
The summit marking the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-EU ties was held on November 22.
Other documents that had be negotiated and signed:

ASEAN Mutual Recognition Agreement on Architectural Services.

ASEAN Framework Arrangement for the Mutual Recognition of Surveying Qualifications.

Protocol to Implement the Sixth Package of Commitments under the ASEAN Framework
Agreement on Services.

Agreements on trade and areas of cooperation with ASEAN Dialogue Partners.

The 15th Asean Summit was held from 2325 October 2009 in Hua Hin, Cha Am, Thailand.[7] It
involved the Leaders from Asean league of Nations together with their dialogue partners
from People's Republic of China, Japan, South Korea, India,Australia and New Zealand.
A flurry of meetings among Asian leaders on the last day raised the possibility of forging a regional
free trade pact, which is likely to be raised at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit
in November 2009.
The 16th ASEAN Summit held in Ha Noi, Vietnam 9 April 2010 Towards the Asean Community: from
Vision to Action".
The 17th ASEAN Summit in October 2010 in Vietnam Ha Noi.Indonesian President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono did not attend the opening ceremony of the Summit this afternoon. He had to cut short
his trip and returned home to oversee the rescue operation in the disaster-stricken area, after
arriving here on Tuesday for a state visit prior to attending the Summit.
The 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta capital of Indonesia.
The 19th ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia at November 2011.

Locations[edit]
The ASEAN Summit is held by its 10 Southeast Asian Countries annually.
Annual meetings of the ASEAN members.
#

Dates

Country

City

1st

2324 February 1976

Indonesia

Bali

2nd

45 August 1977

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur

3rd

1415 December 1987

4th

2729 January 1992

Singapore Singapore

5th

1415 December 1995

Thailand

Bangkok

6th

1516 December 1998

Vietnam

Hanoi

7th

56 November 2001

Brunei

Bandar Seri Begawan

8th

45 November 2002

Cambodia Phnom Penh

9th

78 October 2003

Indonesia

Philippine
s

Manila

Bali

10th 2930 November 2004

Laos

Vientiane

11th 1214 December 2005

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur

12th 1114 January 2007

13th 1822 November 2007
14th

27 February - 1 March 2009

1011 April 2009

Philippine
s

Singapore Singapore
Thailand

Cha Am, Hua Hin

Pattaya

Vietnam

Hanoi

15th 23 October 2009

16th 89 April 2010
17th 2831 October 2010
18th 78 May 2011
19th 1719 November 2011
20th 34 April 2012
21st 1820 November 2012
22nd 2425 April 2013
23rd 910 October 2013

Cebu City

Indonesia

Jakarta
Bali

Cambodia Phnom Penh

Brunei

Bandar Seri Begawan [8]

Myanmar

Naypyidaw

24th 10-11 May 2014

25th

9-11 or 10-12 November

2014

Issues[edit]
Thailand[edit]
Further information: South Thailand insurgency
Prior to the ASEAN summit, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra publicly threatened to walk out
of the meeting if any member states raised the issue of the Thai government's handling of the
insurgency in south Thailand. He stated "If the topic is raised, I will fly back home". [9] This is notable
since leaders have often shown solidarity with each other over high profile issues such as East
Timor and Myanmar's handling of Aung San Suu Kyi. Furthermore, one of the principles on which
ASEAN was founded is a stated principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other member
states. Any tension has been kept from the public view and leaders have avoided confrontational
statements in public.
Indonesia (the world's most populous Muslim country) and Malaysia however were particularly
vehement in their condemnation over the Thai government's handling of the events in south Thailand
with a former Malaysian Prime minister going to the extent of suggesting that the Southern Thai
states should be given autonomy power. The Malaysian foreign minister further was quoted as
saying that there is no such thing as absolute non-interference. It is thought that Thaksin's statement
was made following the Malaysian government's passing of an opposition resolution condemning the
Thai government for the death of at least 85 Muslim protestors in south Thailand.
Laotian spokesman Yong Chanthalangsy stated "I think we have a golden rule, that is noninterference in the internal affairs of each other." He added "It is a courtesy among the leaders,

among the ministers, that if one of the leaders does not wish to discuss a question, all the leaders
will respect it."

Myanmar (Burma)[edit]
Also prior to the 2004 summit, Myanmar had taken steps to rehabilitate itself by releasing up to
9,000 prisoners who were imprisoned under the old junta. Myanmar's new leader General Soe
Win attended the conference and foreign minister Nyan Win had already made pre-summit press
releases on Myanmar's continuing commitment for the roadmap to democracy.
Myanmar was due to hold the chair of ASEAN in 2006. This however had created criticism from
various factions. The United States and the European Union publicly announced that they might
boycott any ASEAN-related event if Myanmar was the chair. In July 2005, during an ASEAN foreign
minister meeting in Vientiane, Myanmar decided to postpone its turn. The Philippines, the country
next in line, instead held the ASEAN chair in 2006.
Apart from the US, various ASEAN lawmakers have called Myanmar's membership to be stripped
due to its poor human rights record.[10]

East Timor[edit]
Main article: Accession of East Timor to ASEAN
The new nation of East Timor, previously ruled by Indonesia, has had a long struggle with ASEAN.
East Timor, during its long process towards independence, has sought to have observer status in
ASEAN, much like Papua New Guinea, and eventually official member status. Historically, ASEAN
countries supported Indonesia over East Timor, with the Philippines and Malaysia barring
overseas NGOs from participating in East Timor conferences in the late 1990s. More recently,
Myanmar opposed granting observer status to East Timor because of the latter's support for
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
In 2002, East Timor was recognised as an observer of ASEAN and joined the ASEAN Regional
Forum in 2005.[11][12] In December 2005, the government of East Timor stated the nation would be a
member of ASEAN by 2011.[13]
The nation's President were already applied for a membership at the 39th Annual Ministerial Meeting
of ASEAN Foreign Ministers last 2006 held on Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. [14] Yet the request were still
pending including the independent state of Papua New Guinea.

14th ASEAN Summit and Protests[edit]

The 14th ASEAN summit was held from February 26 to 1 March 2009 in Hua Hin, Thailand. It was
originally scheduled for December 2008, but was postponed due to the political crisis in Thailand. At
the summit, the ASEAN leaders signed the Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on the Roadmap for
an ASEAN Community and adopted various other documents, including the ASEAN PoliticalSecurity Community Blueprint and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint. [15] The ASEANAustralia-New Zealand Free Trade Area was established. [16] It is one of Asia's largest trade
arrangements and covers trade in goods, investment and services, financial services,
telecommunications, electronic commerce and intellectual property.[17]
The summit was reconvened in Pattaya, Thailand on 10 April 2009. This second part of the summit
was to consist of various meetings between the ASEAN members and one or more non-ASEAN
countries from 1012 April. However, it was aborted on 11 April when hundreds of protesters forced
their way past security forces into the venue. [18] Many of the visiting leaders had to be evacuated
from the venue by helicopter to a nearby military airbase, although none were injured. The protests
were part of the 20082009 Thai political crisis and were not believed to be directed at ASEAN
leaders but rather at Thailand's government.[19]

Free trade[edit]
China signed a trade deal with ASEAN.[20]
Between the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India, a
free trade agreement has been set. The initial deal was signed on 8 October 2003 in Indonesia and
the final agreement was on 13 August 2009. it came into effect on 1 January 2010. The latest
ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit was held in New Delhi on December 2021, 2012. As of
2011-12, two-way trade between India & ASEAN stood at US$ 79 billion. This is considered on of the
largest FTAs in the world. Tariffs on over 4,000 product varieties will be eliminated by 2016.
At the same time, Australia and New Zealand started the negotiation for a free trade deal with
ASEAN. The aim of the negotiation is to significantly reduce trade barriers by 2016. [21][22]

Treaty of Amity and Cooperation[edit]

ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia is open for non-ASEAN states to
accede. It requires the contracting parties to forgo any threat or use of force against each other.
The Foreign Ministers of ASEAN member states determined that invitation to the inaugural East
Asian Summit, the first of which is to be held in late 2005 and hosted by Malaysia, was to be
restricted to parties to the treaty. The Howard Government in Australia, although seeking invitation,
was reluctant to accede to the treaty claiming it was out of date and might conflict with obligations
and rights it had under other treaties. However, with entry to the Summit confined to parties to the
treaty, and with domestic pressure to sign, Australia decided in early 2005 to sign the treaty on the
condition that its rights under the UN Charter are recognised as inalienable. Upon the
announcement of accession, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer was asked whether or
not he considered himself an east Asian, he replied: "Do I consider myself an East Asian? ... I
consider myself an Australian."

References[edit]
1.

Jump up^ http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2010/06/29/Indonesia-as-ASEAN-Chair-Atest-of-democracy.aspx

2.
Jump up^ Denis Hew (2005). Roadmap to an Asean Economic Community. Institute of
Southeast Asian Studies. ISBN 981-230-347-2.
3.

Jump up^ "Economic Achievement". ASEAN. Archived from the original on 2009-07-15.
Retrieved 2009-04-12.

4.

Jump up^ "External Relations". ASEAN. Archived from the original on 15 July 2009.
Retrieved 12 April 2009.

5.

Jump up^ "Relation between Japan and ASEAN". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan.
December 1998. Retrieved 2009-04-12.

6.

Jump up^ "ASEAN Leaders Sign Five Agreements at the 12th ASEAN Summit, Cebu,
the Philippines, 13 January 2007" (Press release). ASEAN Secretariat. 13 January
2007. Archived from the original on 28 January 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2007. "12th ASEAN
Summit, five."

7.

Jump up^ Hi ngh thng nh ASEAN: Thi Lan huy ng lc lng an ninh
ln (Vietnamese)

8.

Jump up^ "Brunei to host ASEAN summit 2013". rano360.com. November 21, 2012.
Retrieved 31 December 2012.

9.

Jump up^ http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/119238/1/.html

10.

Jump up^ "ASEAN lawmakers want Myanmar membership stripped". Kuala Lumpur:
Reuters. 28 November 2004. Archived from the original on 28 November 2004. Retrieved 22
April 2009.

11.

Jump up^ East Timor Needs Five Years to Join ASEAN: PM , AFP, 27 July 2006,
accessed on 22 December 2008

12.

Jump up^ Excerpts from the Joint Communique of the 35th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting,
Bandar Seri Begawan, 29-30 July 2002

13.

Jump up^ Xinhua - English

14.

Jump up^ "East Timor ASEAN bid". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 July 2006.

15.

Jump up^ "Outcome Documents". Archived from the original on 3 March 2009.
Retrieved 2009-03-09.

16.

Jump up^ "Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade

Area". Archived from the original on 20 March 2009. Retrieved 9 March 2009.

17.

Jump up^ "Trade deal signed at Asean summit". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original
on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-09.

18.

Jump up^ Fuller, Thomas (12 April 2009). "Thailand Cancels Summit After
Protests". New York Times. Archived from the original on 14 April 2009. Retrieved 12 April 2009.

19.

Jump up^ Thai protesters force Asia summit cancellation by Bill Tarrant, Reuters (printed
in the Ottawa Citizen), 11 April 2009.

20.
21.
22.

Jump up^ [1]

Jump up^ Aust wins invite to next year's ASEAN summit. 01 December 2004. ABC
News Online
Jump up^ Southeast Asia Leaders Advance Free Trade with Six Major Countries

External links[edit]
Official and special interest

ASEAN Official Website

14th Summit Official Website

13th Summit Official Website

12th Summit Official Website

12th Summit Special News Site

12th ASEAN Summit Special Coverage Site

ASEAN Quick Guide and General Info

Special Coverage Site

Special Coverage Site

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HISTORY OF ASEAN
The Founding of ASEAN

On 8 August 1967, five leaders - the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore
and Thailand - sat down together in the main hall of the Department of Foreign Affairs building in
Bangkok, Thailand and signed a document. By virtue of that document, the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) was born. The five Foreign Ministers who signed it - Adam Malik of Indonesia,
Narciso R. Ramos of the Philippines, Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia, S. Rajaratnam of Singapore, and
Thanat Khoman of Thailand - would subsequently be hailed as the Founding Fathers of probably the
most successful inter-governmental organization in the developing world today. And the document that
they signed would be known as the ASEAN Declaration.
It was a short, simply-worded document containing just five articles. It declared the establishment of an
Association for Regional Cooperation among the Countries of Southeast Asia to be known as the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and spelled out the aims and purposes of that
Association. These aims and purposes were about cooperation in the economic, social, cultural,
technical, educational and other fields, and in the promotion of regional peace and stability through
abiding respect for justice and the rule of law and adherence to the principles of the United Nations
Charter. It stipulated that the Association would be open for participation by all States in the Southeast
Asian region subscribing to its aims, principles and purposes. It proclaimed ASEAN as representing "the
collective will of the nations of Southeast Asia to bind themselves together in friendship and
cooperation and, through joint efforts and sacrifices, secure for their peoples and for posterity the
blessings of peace, freedom and prosperity."
It was while Thailand was brokering reconciliation among Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia over
certain disputes that it dawned on the four countries that the moment for regional cooperation had
come or the future of the region would remain uncertain. Recalls one of the two surviving protagonists
of that historic process, Thanat Khoman of Thailand: "At the banquet marking the reconciliation
between the three disputants, I broached the idea of forming another organization for regional
cooperation with Adam Malik. Malik agreed without hesitation but asked for time to talk with his
government and also to normalize relations with Malaysia now that the confrontation was over.

Meanwhile, the Thai Foreign Office prepared a draft charter of the new institution. Within a few months,
everything was ready. I therefore invited the two former members of the Association for Southeast Asia
(ASA), Malaysia and the Philippines, and Indonesia, a key member, to a meeting in Bangkok. In addition,
Singapore sent S. Rajaratnam, then Foreign Minister, to see me about joining the new set-up. Although
the new organization was planned to comprise only the ASA members plus Indonesia, Singapore's
request was favorably considered."
And so in early August 1967, the five Foreign Ministers spent four days in the relative isolation of a
beach resort in Bang Saen, a coastal town less than a hundred kilometers southeast of Bangkok. There
they negotiated over that document in a decidedly informal manner which they would later delight in
describing as "sports-shirt diplomacy." Yet it was by no means an easy process: each man brought into
the deliberations a historical and political perspective that had no resemblance to that of any of the
others. But with goodwill and good humor, as often as they huddled at the negotiating table, they
finessed their way through their differences as they lined up their shots on the golf course and traded
wisecracks on one another's game, a style of deliberation which would eventually become the ASEAN
ministerial tradition.
Now, with the rigors of negotiations and the informalities of Bang Saen behind them, with their
signatures neatly attached to the ASEAN Declaration, also known as the Bangkok Declaration, it was
time for some formalities. The first to speak was the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Narciso
Ramos, a one-time journalist and long-time legislator who had given up a chance to be Speaker of the
Philippine Congress to serve as one of his country's first diplomats. He was then 66 years old and his
only son, the future President Fidel V. Ramos, was serving with the Philippine Civic Action Group in
embattled Vietnam. He recalled the tediousness of the negotiations that preceded the signing of the
Declaration that "truly taxed the goodwill, the imagination, the patience and understanding of the five
participating Ministers." That ASEAN was established at all in spite of these difficulties, he said, meant
that its foundations had been solidly laid. And he impressed it on the audience of diplomats, officials
and media people who had witnessed the signing ceremony that a great sense of urgency had
prompted the Ministers to go through all that trouble. He spoke darkly of the forces that were arrayed
against the survival of the countries of Southeast Asia in those uncertain and critical times.
"The fragmented economies of Southeast Asia," he said, "(with) each country pursuing its own limited
objectives and dissipating its meager resources in the overlapping or even conflicting endeavors of

sister states carry the seeds of weakness in their incapacity for growth and their self-perpetuating
dependence on the advanced, industrial nations. ASEAN, therefore, could marshal the still untapped
potentials of this rich region through more substantial united action."
When it was his turn to speak, Adam Malik, Presidium Minister for Political Affairs and Minister for
Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, recalled that about a year before, in Bangkok, at the conclusion of the
peace talks between Indonesia and Malaysia, he had explored the idea of an organization such as
ASEAN with his Malaysian and Thai counterparts. One of the "angry young men" in his country's
struggle for independence two decades earlier, Adam Malik was then 50 years old and one of a
Presidium of five led by then General Soeharto that was steering Indonesia from the verge of economic
and political chaos. He was the Presidium's point man in Indonesia's efforts to mend fences with its
neighbors in the wake of an unfortunate policy of confrontation. During the past year, he said, the
Ministers had all worked together toward the realization of the ASEAN idea, "making haste slowly, in
order to build a new association for regional cooperation."
Adam Malik went on to describe Indonesia's vision of a Southeast Asia developing into "a region which
can stand on its own feet, strong enough to defend itself against any negative influence from outside
the region." Such a vision, he stressed, was not wishful thinking, if the countries of the region effectively
cooperated with each other, considering their combined natural resources and manpower. He referred
to differences of outlook among the member countries, but those differences, he said, would be
overcome through a maximum of goodwill and understanding, faith and realism. Hard work, patience
and perseverance, he added, would also be necessary.
The countries of Southeast Asia should also be willing to take responsibility for whatever happens to
them, according to Tun Abdul Razak, the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, who spoke next. In his
speech, he conjured a vision of an ASEAN that would include all the countries of Southeast Asia. Tun
Abdul Razak was then concurrently his country's Minister of Defence and Minister of National
Development. It was a time when national survival was the overriding thrust of Malaysia's relations with
other nations and so as Minister of Defence, he was in charge of his country's foreign affairs. He
stressed that the countries of the region should recognize that unless they assumed their common
responsibility to shape their own destiny and to prevent external intervention and interference,
Southeast Asia would remain fraught with danger and tension. And unless they took decisive and

collective action to prevent the eruption of intra-regional conflicts, the nations of Southeast Asia would
remain susceptible to manipulation, one against another.
"We the nations and peoples of Southeast Asia," Tun Abdul Razak said, "must get together and form by
ourselves a new perspective and a new framework for our region. It is important that individually and
jointly we should create a deep awareness that we cannot survive for long as independent but isolated
peoples unless we also think and act together and unless we prove by deeds that we belong to a family
of Southeast Asian nations bound together by ties of friendship and goodwill and imbued with our own
ideals and aspirations and determined to shape our own destiny". He added that, "with the
establishment of ASEAN, we have taken a firm and a bold step on that road".
For his part, S. Rajaratnam, a former Minister of Culture of multi-cultural Singapore who, at that time,
served as its first Foreign Minister, noted that two decades of nationalist fervor had not fulfilled the
expectations of the people of Southeast Asia for better living standards. If ASEAN would succeed, he
said, then its members would have to marry national thinking with regional thinking.
"We must now think at two levels," Rajaratnam said. "We must think not only of our national interests
but posit them against regional interests: that is a new way of thinking about our problems. And these
are two different things and sometimes they can conflict. Secondly, we must also accept the fact, if we
are really serious about it, that regional existence means painful adjustments to those practices and
thinking in our respective countries. We must make these painful and difficult adjustments. If we are
not going to do that, then regionalism remains a utopia."
S. Rajaratnam expressed the fear, however, that ASEAN would be misunderstood. "We are not against
anything", he said, "not against anybody". And here he used a term that would have an ominous ring
even today: balkanization. In Southeast Asia, as in Europe and any part of the world, he said, outside
powers had a vested interest in the balkanization of the region. "We want to ensure," he said, "a stable
Southeast Asia, not a balkanized Southeast Asia. And those countries who are interested, genuinely
interested, in the stability of Southeast Asia, the prosperity of Southeast Asia, and better economic and
social conditions, will welcome small countries getting together to pool their collective resources and
their collective wisdom to contribute to the peace of the world."
The goal of ASEAN, then, is to create, not to destroy. This, the Foreign Minister of Thailand, Thanat
Khoman, stressed when it was his turn to speak. At a time when the Vietnam conflict was raging and

American forces seemed forever entrenched in Indochina, he had foreseen their eventual withdrawal
from the area and had accordingly applied himself to adjusting Thailand's foreign policy to a reality that
would only become apparent more than half a decade later. He must have had that in mind when, on
that occasion, he said that the countries of Southeast Asia had no choice but to adjust to the exigencies
of the time, to move toward closer cooperation and even integration. Elaborating on ASEAN objectives,
he spoke of "building a new society that will be responsive to the needs of our time and efficiently
equipped to bring about, for the enjoyment and the material as well as spiritual advancement of our
peoples, conditions of stability and progress. Particularly what millions of men and women in our part
of the world want is to erase the old and obsolete concept of domination and subjection of the past and
replace it with the new spirit of give and take, of equality and partnership. More than anything else, they
want to be master of their own house and to enjoy the inherent right to decide their own destiny ..."
While the nations of Southeast Asia prevent attempts to deprive them of their freedom and sovereignty,
he said, they must first free themselves from the material impediments of ignorance, disease and
hunger. Each of these nations cannot accomplish that alone, but by joining together and cooperating
with those who have the same aspirations, these objectives become easier to attain. Then Thanat
Khoman concluded: "What we have decided today is only a small beginning of what we hope will be a
long and continuous sequence of accomplishments of which we ourselves, those who will join us later
and the generations to come, can be proud. Let it be for Southeast Asia, a potentially rich region, rich in
history, in spiritual as well as material resources and indeed for the whole ancient continent of Asia, the
light of happiness and well-being that will shine over the uncounted millions of our struggling peoples."
The Foreign Minister of Thailand closed the inaugural session of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations by presenting each of his colleagues with a memento. Inscribed on the memento presented to
the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, was the citation, "In recognition of services rendered by His
Excellency Adam Malik to the ASEAN organization, the name of which was suggested by him."
And that was how ASEAN was conceived, given a name, and born. It had been barely 14 months since
Thanat Khoman brought up the ASEAN idea in his conversations with his Malaysian and Indonesian
colleagues. In about three more weeks, Indonesia would fully restore diplomatic relations with
Malaysia, and soon after that with Singapore. That was by no means the end to intra-ASEAN disputes,
for soon the Philippines and Malaysia would have a falling out on the issue of sovereignty over Sabah.
Many disputes between ASEAN countries persist to this day. But all Member Countries are deeply

committed to resolving their differences through peaceful means and in the spirit of mutual
accommodation. Every dispute would have its proper season but it would not be allowed to get in the
way of the task at hand. And at that time, the essential task was to lay the framework of regional
dialogue and cooperation.
The two-page Bangkok Declaration not only contains the rationale for the establishment of ASEAN and
its specific objectives. It represents the organization's modus operandi of building on small steps,
voluntary, and informal arrangements towards more binding and institutionalized agreements. All the
founding member states and the newer members have stood fast to the spirit of the Bangkok
Declaration. Over the years, ASEAN has progressively entered into several formal and legally-binding
instruments, such as the 1976 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and the 1995 Treaty
on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone.
Against the backdrop of conflict in the then Indochina, the Founding Fathers had the foresight of
building a community of and for all Southeast Asian states. Thus the Bangkok Declaration promulgated
that "the Association is open for participation to all States in the Southeast Asian region subscribing to
the aforementioned aims, principles and purposes." ASEAN's inclusive outlook has paved the way for
community-building not only in Southeast Asia, but also in the broader Asia Pacific region where several
other inter-governmental organizations now co-exist.
The original ASEAN logo presented five brown sheaves of rice stalks, one for each founding member.
Beneath the sheaves is the legend "ASEAN" in blue. These are set on a field of yellow encircled by a blue
border. Brown stands for strength and stability, yellow for prosperity and blue for the spirit of cordiality
in which ASEAN affairs are conducted. When ASEAN celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 1997, the sheaves
on the logo had increased to ten - representing all ten countries of Southeast Asia and reflecting the
colors of the flags of all of them. In a very real sense, ASEAN and Southeast Asia would then be one and
the same, just as the Founding Fathers had envisioned.
This article is based on the first chapter of ASEAN at 30, a publication of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations in commemoration of its 30th Anniversary on 8 August 1997, written by Jamil Maidan
Flores and Jun Abad.
Further readings in ASEAN History:

Thanat Khoman, "ASEAN Conception and Evolution", in the ASEAN Reader, Institute of Southeast Asian
Studies, Singapore, 1992.
S. Rajaratnam, "ASEAN: The Way Ahead", in The ASEAN Reader, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies,

ASEAN Emblem
1.
2.

3.
4.

5.

Guidelines on the Use of the ASEAN Emblem

The ASEAN Emblem shall be the official emblem of ASEAN.
The ASEAN Emblem represents a stable, peaceful, united and dynamic ASEAN. The colours of
the Emblem -- blue, red, white and yellow -- represent the main colours of the state crests of all the
ASEAN Member States.
The blue represents peace and stability. Red depicts courage and dynamism, white shows purity
and yellow symbolises prosperity.
The stalks of padi in the centre of the Emblem represent the dream of ASEAN's Founding
Fathers for an ASEAN comprising all the countries in Southeast Asia, bound together in friendship and
solidarity.
The circle represents the unity of ASEAN.

6.

The ASEAN Emblem is the reserved copyright of ASEAN.

A. Use of the ASEAN Emblem

The ASEAN Emblem shall be used in a manner that promotes ASEAN and its purposes and
principles. It shall not be used for political purposes or for activities that harm the dignity of ASEAN.
8.
The ASEAN Emblem shall not be used for commercial purposes unless the entities concerned
obtain official approval through the procedures stipulated in Article A.4.
7.

A.1. Use of the ASEAN Emblem by ASEAN Member States

9.
ASEAN Member States are encouraged to use the ASEAN Emblem in official functions relating to
ASEAN.
10.
The ASEAN Emblem shall be placed to the right of the ASEAN Member States' National Symbols,
as seen by the viewer.
A.2. Use of the ASEAN Emblem by the ASEAN Secretariat
The ASEAN Secretariat shall use the ASEAN Emblem in the manner considered appropriate by
the Secretary-General which may include the following:
a.
Display at the Secretariat buildings and residence of the Secretary-General;
b.
Use in its official correspondence as letterhead;
c.
Use as the official seal for the ASEAN Secretariat;
d.
Use in its official publications, stationery and souvenirs;
e.
Mark or engrave on properties belonging to the ASEAN Secretariat; and
f.
Display at ASEAN official functions.
11.

12.

A.3. Use of the ASEAN Emblem by Entities Associated with ASEAN

Entities officially associated with ASEAN as in Annex 2 of the ASEAN Charter may use the ASEAN
Emblem in their official correspondences and meetings.

13.

A.4. Use of the ASEAN Emblem by Other Entities

Other entities based in an ASEAN Member State shall submit their request for the use of the
ASEAN Emblem to the ASEAN National Secretariat concerned.

14.

Other entities outside the ASEAN region shall submit their request for the use of the ASEAN
Emblem to the Public Outreach and Civil Society Division of the ASEAN Secretariat:
Public

Outreach

and

The

Civil

Society

ASEAN

70

Division
Secretariat

A,

Jl.

Sisingamangaraja

Jakarta

12110

Indonesia
15.
o
o
o
o

E-mail: public@asean.org
Requests for the use of the ASEAN Emblem shall be submitted in writing, and accompanied with
the following information:
organisational profile;
nature and purpose of the proposed activity;
duration of the use of the ASEAN Emblem; and
prototype of the proposed use of the ASEAN Emblem.

16.

The ASEAN National Secretariats and the ASEAN Secretariat shall consider the requests
accordingly. The approval granted shall be exclusive to the proposed activity. Such approval shall not be
extended to third parties.
17.
Authorisation to use the ASEAN Emblem does not confer on those to whom it is granted any
right of exclusive use, nor does it allow them to appropriate the Emblem or any similar trademark or
logo, either by registration or any other means.
B. Reproduction of the ASEAN Emblem
18.
The ASEAN Emblem shall be reproduced in accordance with the Specifications and Colours
indicated in the Annex.
C. Approval of and Amendments to the Guidelines
19.
The Guidelines shall be approved by the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC).
20.
Any Member State may propose amendments to the Guidelines, which shall be submitted to the
Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) for its consideration and agreed upon by consensus.
The agreed amendments shall be submitted to the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) for notation, and
thereafter come into immediate effect.

ANNEX
1.

Specifications and Colours

The specifications of Pantone Colour adopted for the colours of the ASEAN Emblem are:
Blue
:
Pantone
286
Red
:
Pantone
Red
032
Yellow
:
Pantone
Process
Yellow

2.
Blue
Red

For
:
:

four-colour
100C
0C

printing
process,
60
M
0Y
91M
87Y

the

specifications
6K
(100C
0K
(0C

of

colours
will
60M
0Y
90M
90Y

be:
10K)
0K)

Yellow

0C

0M

100Y

0K

3.

Specifications in brackets are to be used when an arbitrary measurement of process colours is

not possible.
4.
In
Pantone
Process
Colour
Simulator,
the
specifications
equal
to:
Blue
:
Pantone
204-1
Red
:
Pantone
60-1
Yellow : Pantone 1-3
5.
The font used for the word "ASEAN" in the Emblem is lower-case Helvetica in bold.
6.
The Emblem shall appear either in the specified colours or in a singular colour of black, white,
gold or silver. It can be enlarged or shrunk in proportionate size as appropriate for its use and place of
display.

Note:

The Guidelines were adopted at the 6th Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC), Ha Noi, 8
April 2010.

ASEAN NAME

ASEAN Name
Guidelines on the Use of the Name ASEAN
A. Scope and Application

1.The Name ASEAN refers to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

2.These Guidelines set out the procedure for the request and authorization for the use of the name
ASEAN
3.These Guidelines shall apply to entities requesting to use the name ASEAN and shall not apply to the
following:
3.1 ASEAN Organs under Chapter IV of the ASEAN Charter including their mechanisms, activities
and programmes;
3.2 ASEAN mechanism officially established by ASEAN Member States;
3.3 Entities belonging to or activities organized by the Governments of ASEAN Member States;
and
3.4 Entities associated with ASEAN in accordance with Article 16 of the ASEAN Charter.
B. Protection
4.The name ASEAN is protected under Article 6ter of the Paris Convention for the Protection of
Industrial Property, adopted in 1883 and revised in Stockholm in 1967.
C. Use of the Name ASEAN
5.The use of the name ASEAN aims to promote ASEAN and its purposes and principles as stipulated in
the ASEAN Charter. It shall not be used for political propaganda or for activities that harm the dignity and
integrity of ASEAN, and adversely affects ASEAN or ASEAN Member States.
6.The request for the use of the name ASEAN shall satisfy the following conditions:
6.1 The entity shall be indigenous to ASEAN;
6.2

The use of the name ASEAN shall be in support of ASEAN purposes and principles aswell as
for mutual benefit in the context of attaining ASEAN Community 2015 and beyond and shall not
have any negative effect on such purposes and principles;
6.3 The name ASEAN shall not be brought into disrepute by its use.
C. Enquiries and Requests for the Use of the Name ASEAN
7.Any enquiry and/or request for the use of the name ASEAN shall be submitted in writing to the ASEAN
Secretariat at the following address:
Legal Services and Agreements Division
The ASEAN Secretariat
70A, Jl. Sisingamangaraja
Jakarta 12110
Indonesia
E-mail:
8.An entity requesting for the use of the name ASEAN will be required to complete the prescribed
application form and submit it together with supporting documents as specified in the form.
Download Request Form for the Use of the Name ASEAN Here
D. Authorisation and Revocation Process
9.Upon receiving an enquiry and/or request by an entity seeking to use the name ASEAN, the ASEAN
Secretariat will consider such enquiry and/or request within a reasonable time. Where necessary, the
ASEAN Secretariat may, seek further information and clarification from the requesting entity to ensure
that the enquiry and/or request will be processed appropriately.
10.In considering the request, the ASEAN Secretariat may, if necessary, consult with the Committee of
Permanent Representatives (CPR) and/or concerned ASEAN Sectoral Bodies.

11.Where the abovementioned conditions and requirements for the request are satisfied, the ASEAN
Secretariat may grant the authorization to use the name ASEAN. Such authorization shall be on a
non-exclusive basis and may be subject to any terms and conditions as may be determined by the
ASEAN Secretariat on a case-by-case basis.

12.The authorization for the use of the name ASEAN cannot be extended or otherwise transferred to
any third party.

13.The authorization to use the name ASEAN does not establish any form of relations or confer any
status between ASEAN and the entity to which the authorization has been granted. Such
authorization shall not entitle the entity to act on behalf of ASEAN, or to undertake any act to bind
ASEAN or create a liability against ASEAN in any manner whatsoever.

14.Any ASEAN Member State or the ASEAN Secretariat may suggest the revocation of the use of the
name ASEAN. The decision on the revocation shall be made by the ASEAN Secretariat in
consultation with the CPR, taking into consideration the provisions set forth in these Guidelines.
E. Amendments to the Guidelines
15. Any ASEAN Member State may propose amendments to these Guidelines, which shall be submitted
to the CPR for its consideration and agreed upon by consensus. The agreed amendments shall be
submitted to the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) for notation, and thereafter come into immediate
effect.
F. Final Clause
16. The CPR considered and agreed to these Guidelines at the 18/2013 CPR Meeting on 19 September
2013.
Note:
These Guidelines are amended in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Guidelines on the Use of the
Name ASEAN which were adopted at the 6 th Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC), Ha
Noi, 8 April 2010. These Guidelines were submitted to the ACC for notation on 26 September 2013.

ASEAN Member States

Brunei Darussalam
Head of State : His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah
Capital : Bandar Seri Begawan
Language(s) : Malay, English
Currency : B$ (Brunei Dollar)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade of Brunei Darussalam Website: www.mfa.gov.bn

Cambodia
Head of State : His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni
Head of Government : Prime Minister Hun Sen
Capital : Phnom Penh
Language : Khmer
Currency : Riel

Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation of Cambodia Website: www.mfaic.gov.kh

Indonesia
Head of State : President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Capital : Jakarta
Language : Indonesian
Currency : Rupiah
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia Website: www.kemlu.go.id

Lao PDR
Head of State : President Choummaly Sayasone
Head of Government : Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong
Capital : Vientiane
Language : Lao
Currency : Kip
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR Website: www.mofa.gov.la

Malaysia
Head of Government : The Honourable Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak
Capital : Kuala Lumpur
Language(s) : Malay, English, Chinese, Tamil
Currency : Ringgit
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Website: www.kln.gov.my
ASEAN-Malaysia National Secretariat Website: www.kln.gov.my/myasean

Myanmar
Head of State : President Thein Sein

Capital : Nay Pyi Taw

Language : Myanmar
Currency : Kyat
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar Website: www.mofa.gov.mm

Philippines
Head of State : President Benigno S. Aquino III
Capital : Manila
Language(s) : Filipino, English, Spanish
Currency : Peso
Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Website: www.dfa.gov.ph

Singapore
Head of State : President Tony Tan Keng Yam
Head of Government : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Capital : Singapore
Language(s) : English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil
Currency : S$ (Singapore Dollar)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Website: www.mfa.gov.sg

Thailand
Head of State : His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Head of Government : Army Commander-in-Chief and Leader of the National Council for Peace and
Order Gen Prayut Chan-O-Cha
Capital : Bangkok
Language : Thai

Currency : Baht
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Website: www.mfa.go.th

Viet Nam
Head of State : President Truong Tan Sang
Head of Government : Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung
Capital : Ha Noi
Language : Vietnamese
Currency : Dong
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam Website: www.mofa.gov.vn

ASEAN Chair

According to Article 31 of the ASEAN Charter, the Chairmanship of ASEAN shall rotate annually, based
on the alphabetical order of the English names of Member States. A Member State assuming the
Chairmanship shall chair the ASEAN Summit and related summits, the ASEAN Coordinating Council, the
three ASEAN Community Councils, relevant ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies and senior officials, and
the Committee of Permanent Representatives.
Myanmar is the Chair of ASEAN for 2014 and the theme of its ASEAN Chairmanship is Moving Forward
in Unity to a Peaceful and Prosperous Community. For more information on Myanmars
chairmanship: http://asean2014.gov.mm/
Previous Chairs of ASEAN over the years:

Year

Chair

2013

Brunei

2012

Cambodia

2011

Indonesia

2010

Viet Nam

2009

Thailand

2008

Thailand

2007

Singapore

2006

Philippines

2005

Malaysia

2004

Lao PDR

2003

Indonesia

2002

Cambodia

2001

Brunei Darussalam

2000

Singapore

1999

Philippines

1998

Viet Nam

1997

Malaysia

1996

Indonesia

1995

Thailand

1992

Singapore

1987

Philippines

1977

Malaysia

1976

Indonesia

About ASEAN Secretariat

The ASEAN Secretariat was set up in February 1976 by the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN. It was then
housed at the Department of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia in Jakarta. The existing ASEAN Secretariat at
70A Jalan Sisingamangaraja, Jakarta, was established and officiated in 1981 by the then President of
Indonesia, H.E. Soeharto.
The ASEAN Secretariat's basic function is to provide for greater efficiency in the coordination of ASEAN
organs and for more effective implementation of ASEAN projects and activities.
The ASEAN Secretariat's vision is that by 2015, it will be the nerve centre of a strong and confident
ASEAN Community that is globally respected for acting in full compliance with its Charter and in the
best interest of its people.
The ASEAN Secretariat's mission is to initiate, facilitate and coordinate ASEAN stakeholder collaboration
in realising the purposes and principles of ASEAN as reflected in the ASEAN Charter

Secretary-General of ASEAN
The Secretary-General of ASEAN is appointed by the ASEAN Summit for a non-renewable term of office
of five years, selected from among nationals of the ASEAN Member States based on alphabetical
rotation.
The Secretary-General of ASEAN 2013 -2017 is H.E. Le Luong Minh from Viet Nam.
Find out more about the Secretary-General of ASEAN from Article 11 of the ASEAN Charter.
Please click here to find out more about H.E. Le Luong Minh.

Please click here to read Speeches & Statements of the Secretary-General of ASEAN

Former Secretaries-General of ASEAN

Dr. SURIN PITSUWAN
Thailand

1 Jan 2008 to 31 Dec 2012

Please click here to find out more about Dr. Surin Pitsuwan.
Please click here for Speeches & Statements.

ONG KENG YONG

Singapore

1 Jan 2003 to 31 Dec 2007

RODOLFO C. SEVERINO JR.

The Philippines

1 Jan 1998 to 31 Dec 2002

DATO AJIT SINGH

Malaysia

1 Jan 1993 to 31 Dec 1997

RUSLI NOOR
Indonesia

17 July 1989 to 1 Jan 1993

RODERICK YONG
Brunei Darussalam

16 July 1986 to 16 July 1989

PHAN WANNAMETHEE
Thailand

16 July 1984
to
15 July 1986

CHAN KAI YAU

Singapore

18 July 1982 to 15 July 1984

NARCISO G. REYES
The Philippines

1 July 1980 to 1 July 1982

DATUK ALI BIN ABDULLAH

Malaysia

10 July 1978 to 30 June 1980

UMARJADI NOTOWIJONO
Indonesia

19 Feb 1978 to 30 June 1978

H.R DHARSONO
Indonesia

7 June 1976 to 18 Feb 1978

Deputy Secretaries-General of ASEAN

The Secretary-General of ASEAN shall be assisted by four Deputy Secretaries-General (DSGs). The four
DSGs shall be of different nationalities from the Secretary-General and shall come from four different
ASEAN Member States. The DSGs shall comprise:

two DSGs are nominated by Member States on a rotational basis for a non-renewable term of

three years, and

two DSGs are openly recruited based on merit for a term of three years, which may be renewed
for another three years.
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political Security Community
The DSG APSC supports SG in implementing the APSC Blueprint and strengthening relations with ASEAN
Dialogue Partners and the international community.
Click here for CV of DSG of ASEAN for APSC, H.E. Nyan Lynn (date of commencement: 15 February
2012).
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community

The DSG AEC assists SG in supporting the realisation of the AEC by 2015. He oversees the
implementation of the AEC Blueprint towards the establishment of a Single Market and Production
Base, a competitive economic region characterised by equitable development, and a region that is fully
plugged into the global economy.
Click here for CV of DSG of ASEAN for AEC, H.E. Dr. Lim Hong Hin (date of commencement: 10 April
2012).
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community
The DSG ASCC supports SG in implementing the ASCC Blueprint. She oversees the implementation of
projects under ASCC that focus on forging a common identity and building a caring and sharing society
which is inclusive and where the well-being, livelihood and welfare of the peoples are enhanced.
Click here for CV of DSG of ASEAN for ASCC, H.E. Alicia Dela Rosa Bala (date of commencement: 8
September 2012).
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs
The DSG CCA assists SG and is responsible for providing strategic direction and guidance on research,
public affairs and outreach programmes for the ASEAN Community. He is also responsible for the
implementation of corporate support functions, including core corporate services and ensuring clear
prioritisation and alignment to overall policy objectives. The DSG CCA will ensure that ASEAN Secretariat
has in place the systems, procedures and resources required to fulfil its mandate.
Click here for CV of DSG of ASEAN for CCA, H.E. Dr. AKP Mochtan (date of commencement: 16 August
2013).

Find out more about the Deputy Secretaries-General of ASEAN from Article 11 of the ASEAN Charter.
Click here to read Speeches of Deputy Secretaries-General of ASEAN.

ASEAN Secretariat Resource Centre (ARC)

The Documentation Centre of the ASEAN Secretariat was set up when the ASEAN Secretariat was
established in June 1976 and began operating in April 1977. The ASEAN Secretariat Resource Centre
(ARC) was then established on 1 November 2006 by the then Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong.
At present, ARC comprises two main sections: the Library and Archives.
The Library is meant for housing and maintaining books (ASEAN Secretariat publications and others),
journals, periodicals, newspapers, and audio-visual materials relevant to ASEAN. With a focus on ASEAN,
the collection covers a wide range of issues, from social development, economics, science and
technology, trade, politics, foreign relations, population and culture.
The Archives meanwhile acts as the custodian of classified ASEAN documents and houses meeting
reports, treaties, agreements, instruments of ratification, memorandums of understanding, etc. Due to
the nature of these documents, they are restricted and accessible only by the staff of the ASEAN
Secretariat.
ARC is also responsible for the process of certifying ASEAN Agreements and the dissemination of the
certified true copies to all ASEAN Member States and other party(ies) as required. For the list of ASEAN

Treaties/Agreements and Ratification, please click here.

The Library is open for Public. Please note that the public may only read the materials in the
collection and borrowing services is not available.
Internet access/Wi-Fi is available.
Opening hours: Monday - Friday 09.00 - 16.30.
We are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays.
For further information, please call: (62-21) 7262991 ext. 260 or 192.

NAY PYI TAW, 10 May 2014 Tomorrow will mark another milestone in Myanmars history as it hosts the
24th ASEAN Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, the countrys administrative and political capital. This will be the first
time Myanmar hosts an ASEAN Summit since joining the Association in 1997. President Thein Sein will
be welcoming his counterparts, Heads of State/Government from the other nine Member States for their
annual Summit on May 11 to be held at the newly-built Myanmar International Convention Center.
ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh expressed optimism about Myanmars ability to provide
leadership to the Association at this critical stage of ASEANs Community building. Minh said Myanmars
chairmanship comes amidst the countrys on-going democratization and reform process which has been
enjoying strong support from ASEAN Member States and the international community at large. He added
ASEAN is committed to extending all necessary assistance and cooperation to ensure the
accomplishment of Myanmars chairmanship. Myanmars success is ASEANs success.
As Chair of ASEAN for 2014, President Thein Sein will preside over the meetings of ASEAN Leaders and
theirs with sectoral groups such as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and youth leaders from the
region. Mindful of the regional blocs objective of establishing a three-pillared politically cohesive,
economically integrated and socially responsible Community next year - one that is people-oriented and
people centered, Myanmars theme for its Chairmanship of ASEAN is Moving Forward in Unity to a
Peaceful and Prosperous Community.
Ensuring that the implementation of action lines for establishing the ASEAN Community 2015 are on track
will be a top priority on the Summits Agenda. The ASEAN Heads of State/Government will also exchange
views on current regional and international issues. This Summit will be preceded by Ministerial and Senior
Officials preparatory meetings which will take place as well in Nay Pyi Taw.
It is expected that the 24th Summit will pick up from the legacy of the last Summit in Brunei where the
Leaders enunciated the need to draw up ASEANs post-2015 vision. ASEAN Secretary-General Minh said
Geography has put ASEAN in a unique bridging position between the great Asian powers and it will
continue to assert its centrality in the evolving regional architecture. He emphasised that the ASEAN
Community will leverage this position to maintain peace and stability in the region which are requisite
ingredients for narrowing the development gaps within and between ASEAN Member States.
ASEAN is nearing the homestretch of its implementation of the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community
which brings together the ten Member States as a single market by the end of 2015. Despite the
publicized challenges, ASEAN has made it clear that the ASEAN Economic Community will push through
as planned and that it has addressed 80% of required action lines altogether. As the region gears up for
ASEAN Community 2015, various socio-cultural cooperation initiatives are being implemented by Member
States in the areas of education, health, cross-border pollution control and disaster management, among
others.
ASEAN was established in 1967 by the five founding members , namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand. Later, Brunei Darussalam, Viet Nam, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Cambodia joined
making up what is now the ten-Member- State Association. The Summit is the associations highest

policy-making body and the Chairmanship is rotated in alphabetical order among the Member States
every year.