Association of South East Asian Nations

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Regional alliance formed in Bangkok in 1967; it took over the non-military role of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization in 1975. Its members are Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei (from 1984), Vietnam (from 1995), Laos and Myanmar (from 1997), and Cambodia (from 1999). The headquarters are in Jakarta, Indonesia, and the secretary general (from 2003) is Ong Keng Yong, a Singaporean diplomat.

Member states signed an agreement in 1992 to establish an ASEAN free-trade area (AFTA) by the beginning of 2008. However, at a summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, in December 1998, it was agreed to establish AFTA by 2002 for ASEAN's longer-serving members, with 90% of products covered by free trade in 2000. Arrangements differ for those members who joined ASEAN more recently: Cambodia, which joined in April 1999, has until 2010 to fully implement the tariff-reduction programme; Laos and Myanmar, which joined in July 1997, until 2008; and Vietnam, which joined in July 1995, until 2006.

The ASEAN Regional Forum was established in 1994 as an informal channel for discussing security issues in the Asia Pacific region. As of August 2007, the forum comprised all ASEAN members, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, the People's Republic of China, East Timor, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Sri Lanka, and the USA.

In December 1995, ASEAN heads of government signed a declaration prohibiting the possessions, manufacture, and acquisition of nuclear weapons in the region.

The single star represents the unity of the former French and British territories. Effective date: 20 May 1975. >>