Preparations for the Membership of
Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar

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1. This information paper briefly describes ASEAN's relations with Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar and examines how far each of them has gone in preparing for membership in ASEAN.


ASEAN-Laos

2. Laos became an ASEAN Observer at the 25th AMM in Manila in July 1992. At the 28th AMM in Bandar Seri Begawan, the Lao Foreign Minister announced that he wished to see Laos join ASEAN in 1997. This desire was stated in Laos' letter of application for membership in ASEAN dated 15 March 1996.

3. In 1995, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos set up an ASEAN Division in its Department of Asia-Pacific and Africa. In early 1996, the Division was upgraded and a Director-General, Mr. Somphet Khousakoun, appointed. Laos also appointed Mrs.Khempheng Pholsena, Vice-Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, SEOM Leader for Laos.

4. Responding to an invitation from the Lao Foreign Minister, the ASC agreed that the Director-General of Indonesia's ASEAN Department, representing the Chairman of the 29th ASC, would lead a fact-finding team to Laos from 11-14 February 1996. The team leader presented the "Road Map towards Membership in ASEAN" in a meeting with senior Lao officials. The team also requested Laos to consider doing an urgent study on her immediate requirements for membership arising from her ongoing preparations to join ASEAN, and to present the findings of the study to ASEAN as soon as possible.

5. The ASC established a Working Group on the Membership of Cambodia and Laos to look into all issues under the ASC's purview relating to preparations for and by these two prospective members to join ASEAN. The Working Group is chaired by the Deputy Secretary- General of ASEAN, Mr. Mahadi Haji Wasli. On 17 July 1996, the Working Group held consultations with the Director-General of the ASEAN Department of Laos in Jakarta.

6. A fact-finding team of ASEAN Senior Economic Officials (SEOM) visited Vientiane from 30 June - 2 July 1996. On 14 September 1996, the ASEAN Economic Ministers held consultations with the Commerce Minister of Laos in Jakarta on preparations for Laos' participation in the AFTA process and other economic cooperation arrangements in ASEAN.

7. The ASEAN Secretariat trained seven Lao officials in attachment programmes ranging from 3-5 weeks with funds from the UNDP. In addition, Secretariat staff also conducted intensive briefings on ASEAN affairs and AFTA in Vientiane and held technical discussions with Lao officials on establishing an E-mail link to facilitate information exchange with the ASEAN Secretariat.


ASEAN-Cambodia

8. Cambodia was accorded ASEAN Observer status at the 28th AMM in Bandar Seri Begawan in July 1995. The Cambodian Foreign Minister applied for ASEAN membership for Cambodia in his application letter dated 23 March 1996. Like Laos, Cambodia also wishes to join ASEAN in 1997.

9. Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (FA&IC) set up an ASEAN Department headed by Mrs. You Ay early this year. This was followed by the appointment of Dr. Aun Porn Moniroth, Policy Planner of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Director of Cabinet of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, as Cambodia's SEOM Leader.

10. The ASC's fact-finding team visited Cambodia from 7-11 February 1996. The leader of the team presented the "Road Map towards Membership in ASEAN" to a large gathering of Ministers and senior officials from several ministries. As a follow-up to the visit, the ASC's Working Group on the Membership of Cambodia and Laos held consultations with the Director-General of the ASEAN Department of Cambodia in Jakarta on 17 July 1996.

11. A SEOM fact-finding team visited Phnom Penh from 27-30 June 1996. The AEM also held consultations with the Minister of Economy and Finance in Jakarta on 14 September 1996 on preparations for Cambodia's participation in the AFTA process and other economic cooperation arrangements in ASEAN.

12. Seven Cambodian officials, funded by UNDP, underwent training at the ASEAN Secretariat in attachment programmes ranging from 2-4 weeks. Secretariat staff also conducted intensive briefing sessions on ASEAN affairs and AFTA in Phnom Penh and conducted technical discussions with Cambodian officials on establishing an E-mail link facilitating the exchange of information between Cambodia and the ASEAN Secretariat.


ASEAN-Myanmar

13. The Foreign Minister of Myanmar attended the 28th AMM in Bandar Seri Begawan as a Guest of the Host Government. He attended the 27th AMM in Bangkok in 1994 in the same capacity. During the 28th AMM, Myanmar acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and applied for Observer status in ASEAN. Myanmar also extended an invitation to the Secretary-General of ASEAN to visit the country. Myanmar requested his assistance in familiarizing Myanmar officials with ASEAN by training them at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta and also by sending Secretariat staff to brief them in Yangon.

14. The Head of Government of Myanmar joined the Heads of Government of Laos and Cambodia in a meeting with the ASEAN Heads of Government during the Fifth ASEAN Summit in Bangkok on 15 December 1995. He expressed the hope that Myanmar would be accorded Observer status in ASEAN at the forthcoming 29th AMM in Indonesia in 1996.

15. At the 29th AMM, Myanmar was accorded Observer status in ASEAN. The Foreign Minister of Myanmar held consultations with ASEAN and participated in the ASEAN Regional Forum for the first time.

16. On 12 August 1996, the Foreign Minister of Myanmar submitted his country's application for membership in ASEAN. He has also expressed his wish for his country to join ASEAN by 1997, along with Cambodia and Laos.

17. The ASC has extended the mandate of its Working Group on the Membership of Cambodia and Laos to include the membership of Myanmar.

18. The Secretary-General visited Myanmar from 2-9 November 1996.


Membership in ASEAN

19. The ASEAN Heads of Government stated in the Bangkok Declaration of 1995 that "ASEAN shall work towards the speedy realisation of an ASEAN comprising all Southeast Asian countries as it enters the 21st century; ..."

20. ASEAN membership is open to all countries in Southeast Asia subscribing to ASEAN's aims, principles and purposes. The ASEAN Founding Fathers held out a vision of all countries in Southeast Asia cooperating for common benefit under the ASEAN roof when they set up the Association on 8 August 1967.

21. On 7 January 1984, Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN and became its sixth member. On 28 July 1995, Vietnam followed suit, becoming the seventh member of ASEAN.

22. One of the criteria for membership is that a prospective member must agree to subscribe or accede to all the treaties, declarations and agreements in ASEAN, starting with those outlined in the ASEAN (Bangkok) Declaration of 8 August 1967 and those elaborated and developed in various subsequent treaties, declarations and agreements of ASEAN. One common concern that must be addressed through negotiations is the ability of a prospective member to participate in AFTA and all other economic cooperation arrangements.

23. One important means of orientation for a prospective member is its attendance at ASEAN meetings and participation in cooperation projects. Having been accorded Observer status in ASEAN, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are invited to the annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting where their Foreign Ministers hold separate consultative sessions with ASEAN Foreign Ministers. The Observer countries can send observers to attend the meetings of ASEAN's functional committees. They may also request to participate in particular on-going projects on a case-by-case basis, subject to approval of the ASC and the availability of funding support.

24. The Heads of Government of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are scheduled to visit the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on the morning of 30 November 1996 for a special briefing by the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

(Last update on 27 November 1996)