Thank you very much, Co-Chairman.

My great appreciation to you and your staff, Secretary-General for your hard work, especially all your people who are serving the United Nations so well in many very difficult situations.

That’s one of the main things I wanted to say this morning, Secretary-General. But perhaps I could also add a few thoughts on the main business of our meeting.

Our ASEAN-UN Cooperation.

On this, I’m very encouraged by the progress we’ve made, Co-Chairman.

Looking at what’s now taking place, there’s hardly an area of modern life that’s not covered in our cooperation. Having said that, however, I think there is one element we need to stress a lot more. In other words, the kind of relationship we’re hoping to develop. It’s not an old fashioned donor-recipient one. Obviously, there are aspects of it that are like that. And, in that sense, we deeply appreciate the funding we receive and the practical assistance the UN has to offer us especially, the magnificent work in the field done by the doctors, teachers, engineers and the outstanding experts we need so much in many parts of our region.

But I am sure the Secretary-General will agree with me when I say that the relationship today has a far deeper dimension. It is one in which the ASEAN vision complements that of the United Nations.

In our region, we may be directing our attention towards very technical long-term goals such as implementing the Vientiane Action Programme, achieving ASEAN integration and building a sustainable ASEAN Economic Community. But behind all these efforts are the kinds of values we want to see in Southeast Asia. By these, I mean there are the ones you yourself have promoted, Secretary-General. The ones you have underlined very well indeed in your report on "larger freedom", mutual respect and understanding among all peoples no matter what their background or culture shared expertise and human resources. Recognition of our common humanity and common needs. And, perhaps most important of all the belief that dialogue and negotiations are the only acceptable basis on which to conduct International Affairs.

In other words, Co-Chairman, all our projects and programmes have a very deep, underlying purpose. They aim at providing our people with security in the fullest, sense of the word. That’s the constant message we are trying to send to our people in our annual ASEAN Summit. And I see it as the most important message we should be conveying at this summit.

Our task is a lot easier than yours, of course, Secretary-General. But, I am sure I speak for all my colleagues, in assuring you that ASEAN shares your own vision of peace and stability and how best to go about achieving it. I think that’s what is at the heart of everything we do together and I’m very happy to have this chance to thank the UN Secretariat and all the UN agencies for all they are doing to strengthen our efforts.

Thank you all very much indeed.