THE ASEAN Secretariat, during the year under review, was a focus of concern in the ongoing exercise of improving the organizational machinery of the Association.

A Task Force, mandated by the Senior Officials Meeting on the Restructuring of ASEAN, has met three times to discuss ways and means of strengthening the ASEAN Secretariat. Thus far, the Task Force on the Strengthening of the ASEAN Secretariat has made recommendations on the following aspects of the Secretariat's functions: servicing conferences and meetings; coordinating ASEAN activities; monitoring the progress of ASEAN activities; acting as a channel of communication between ASEAN bodies and agencies; reporting and disseminating information on the activities of ASEAN including public relations; custodial functions; initiating programs, research land related activities.

Pending the outcome of these efforts to enhance its efficiency, the Secretariat has continued its basic functions of servicing ASEAN meetings and coordinating and monitoring ASEAN activities to the limit of its present capability. A number of working papers were requested of the Secretariat from various organs of the Association indicating the growing cognizance of the Secretariat's trans-sectoral role as a "central administrative organ" for coordinating ASEAN activities.

A notable event during the year was the observance of ASEAN Day, marking the 14th Anniversary of the Association. For the first time, the observance of ASEAN Day on August 8 was celebrated with simple ceremonies at the new Secretariat building. ASEAN youths in their national dress raised their respective flags during the occasion in the presence of the ASEAN Ambassadors in Jakarta, the Director General of ASEAN-Indonesia, and the Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat. To commemorate the signing of the Bangkok Declaration, the Thai Ambassador also read the full text of the historic Declaration which established ASEAN on August 8, 1967. A series of sports events among the ASEAN embassies' staffs, ASEAN dialogue countries, diplomatic representatives, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the Foreign Office of Indonesia followed the flag-raising ceremony. A reception was also hosted by the Secretary General in the new building and graced by the attendance of H.E. Vice President Adam Malik, one of the signatories of the Bangkok Declaration.

Another significant aspect about the ASEAN Secretariat during the year under review, was the growing importance of its representational function. The Secretary General was invited to participate and speak in several important conferences, among them: the Conference on ASEAN-EEC Economic Relations convened by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies on August 6, 1981 in Singapore; the International Business Conference on "ASEAN Today - Your Partner Tomorrow" convened by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute for Economic and Social Studies in Zurich, Switzerland on September 28, 1981; the Pacific Regional Conference of Rotary International held in Melbourne, Australia on November 27, 1981 (a message from the Secretary General was read at the Conference); and the International Conference on ASEAN sponsored by the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and the Council on Foreign Relations at Medford, Massachusetts, on November 12, 1981.

Of increasing signif icance also was the series of confidential briefings on ASEAN given by the Secretary General and members of his staff to diplomats based in Jakarta and important visitors who made it a point to call on the ASEAN Secretariat.

The Director of the Economic Bureau was invited to, and presented a paper entitled "The ASEAN Experience in Economic Cooperation" at the Expert Group Meeting on Feasible Forms of Economic Cooperation and Integration in Western Asia, organized by the Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA) on December 14-18, 1981 in Beirut, Lebanon.

Agreement on the Use and Maintenance of the ASEAN Secretariat

A Supplementary Agreement on the Use and Maintenance of the ASEAN Secretariat premises was signed in behalf of the Indonesian Government by His Excellency Soedarmono, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia and Ambassador Narciso G. Reyes, Secretary General of the ASEAN Secretariat, in behalf of the other four Member Governments of ASEAN. The occasion was witnessed by the Ambassadors and officials of the ASEAN embassies in Jakarta.

The new Agreement, which supplements the main Agreement on the privileges and immunities of the ASEAN Secretariat, was signed at the new ASEAN Secretariat building on November 25, 1981.

In conveying the gratitude of the ASEAN Secretariat to the Indonesian Government, Ambassador Reyes thanked Secretary General Soedarmono for providing the Secretariat with a home and ASEAN a headquarters "symbolic of the unity of the ASEAN nations, their faith in the success of ASEAN, and their conf idence that it will continue to be a bulwark of peace and prosperity in Southeast Asia."

Home Based Staff of the ASEAN Secretariat

H.E. Ambassador Narciso G. Reyes (Philippines)
Secretary General
(Date of assumption) July 1, 1980

Dr, Chng Meng-Kng (Singapore)
Director of the Economic Bureau
October 12, 1980

Mr. C.P.F. Luhulima (Indonesia)
Director of the Bureau of Science and Technology
May 14, 1980

Mr. Sarawudh Kongsiri (Thailand)
Director of Social and Cultural Affairs
July 1, 1980

Mr. Caesar N. Atienza (Philippines)
Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Officer
March 29, 1980

Mrs. Subijartani Santhoso (Indonesia)
Administrative Officer
January 11, 1980

Mr. Jerry M. Reyes (Philippines)
Public Information Officer
February 15, 1980

Mr. Abdul Wahab Harun (Malaysia)
Assistant to the Secretary General
October 1, 1979

Meeting held at the ASEAN Secretariat during the financial year 1981/1982

Meeting on the ASEAN Opinion Multiplier Project, 8-9 June 1981

Experts Group Meeting on ASEAN-US Development Cooperation Programme on Non- Conventional Energy, 25-26 June 1981

Second Meeting of the Advisory Group of the ASEAN Cultural Fund, 10 June 1981

The Fourth Meeting of ASEAN Committee on Social Development (COSD), 20-22 August 1981 Working Group Meeting on Marine Sciences, 2-4 September 1982

Meeting of Chairmen of the Economic Committees to recommend Policy Guidelines for ASEAN Cooperation with third countries, September 21-22, 1981

Second ASEAN-Japan Preparatory Meeting on Human Resources Development Project, 6-7 October 1981

The Sixth Meeting of the Working Group on ASEAN COFAF Programme and Project Formula- tion, 26-19 October 1981

The Ninth Meeting of the Committee on Food Agriculture and Forestry of the ASEAN Economic Ministers, 16-20 November.

Second Meeting of the Task Force on the Strengthening of the ASEAN Secretariat, 2-3 November 1981

The ASEAN Women's Meeting, presided by H.E. L. Soetanto SH, Minister Coordinator for the Role of Women, 18-21 November 1981

ASEAN Secretariat Tender Committee Meeting, 1 December 1981

Second Meeting of the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board, 14-16 December.

ASEAN-Japan Forum, 28-30 January 1981 Meeting on the Use and Maintenance of the

ASEAN Secretariat Building, 18 February 1982

Fifth Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Social Development (COSD), 24-27 March 1982

Third Meeting of the Task Force for the Strengthening of the ASEAN Secretariat, 14-16 April 1982.

Fifth Meeting of the Budget Committee 21-23 April 1982.

Special Occasions and Events held at the ASEAN Secretariat

1. August 8, 1981- 14th Anniversary of ASEAN. Flag-raising ceremonies were held and the text of the Bangkok Declaration was read. A reception was hosted by the Secretary General on this occasion.

2. August 22, 1981- Reception hosted by the Malaysian Embassy to grace the visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Malaysia to Indonesia

3. November 19, 1981 - Ceremony and Reception on the occasion of the presentation of a Japanese painting from the Japanese Government to the ASEAN Secretariat

4. November 23, 1981 - Opening ceremony of the ASEAN Workshop on Education attended by H.E. Dr. Daud Yusuf, Minister of Education and Cul- tural Affairs of Indonesia.

5. November 25, 1981 - Ceremony on the occasion of the signing of the Agreement on the Use and Maintenance of the ASEAN Secretariat

6. December 6, 1981- Opening Ceremony of the Meeting of the AAHP (ASEAN Association of Housing and Planning)

7. December 6, 1981- Closing ceremony and dinner by H.E. Dr. Daud Yusuf, Minister of Education of Indonesia for the ASEAN Teachers Association

8. December 15, 1981 - Signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on the ASEAN- Australia Joint Research Project

9. January 24, 1982 - Opening ceremony of the ASEAN Film Week

10. March 19, 1982 - Presentation by Mitsui Corporation and Toyo Engineering Corporation to the ASEAN Secretariat of a scale model of the ASEAN Aceh Fertilizer Plant

Public Information

The ASEAN Secretariat's public information work continued to be focused on disseminating accurate and official information as more and more ASEAN programs and projects developed in several areas of regional cooperation.

The dearth of official information on ASEAN has been moderately resolved by the Secretariat's issuance of the monthly ASEAN Newsletter as well as the ASEAN Documentation Series. For the first time also, the ASEAN Secretariat published the Annual Report of the Standing Committee for 1980-1981 and the proceedings of the 14th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting held in Manila.

A special program was organized by the Secretariat on August 8, 1981 to commemorate the 14th Anniversary of the Bangkok Declaration. The activities on this occasion included a television interview of the Secretary General, the Director General of ASEAN Indonesia, and the four Ambassadors of the member countries in Jakarta.

Special briefings on ASEAN were held for the following visitors to the Secretariat: the delegation of the Economic Community of West African States; the delegation from the South Pacific Forum Bureau for Economic Cooperation; Secretary General of the West African Clearing House; youth delegations of member countries participating in the Japanese Ship for Southeast Asia; the National Defence College of the Philippines; the Italian Defence College; and a delegation from the Japan Junior Chamber of Commerce.

Special ceremonies were also arranged on the occasion of the presentation of a painting from the Japanese Government to the ASEAN Secretariat, presentation of a scale model of the ASEAN Aceh Fertilizer Plant by Mitsui Corporation and Toyo Engineering Corporation; and the visit of the then British Foreign Secretary, Lord Carrington to the ASEAN Secretariat during which he presented a cooperation painting.

The future role of the Secretariat's public information program is taking shape as cognizance is placed on the role information can play in enhancing regional understanding and within ASEAN as well as in its relations with the world.