During the year 1991-1992, the ASEAN Secretariat was actively involved in the preparation for the Fourth ASEAN Summit as well as the coordination of wide-ranging activities of ASEAN cooperation. It was also fully involved in developing measures for its own restructuring and strengthening as directed by the Fourth Meeting of the ASEAN Heads of Government;
Attendance at ASEAN Meetings
2 The Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary- General, and officers of the ASEAN Secretariat attended ministerial meetings, annual dialogue meetings, meetings of the ASEAN Standing Committee, Senior Officials in various fields, ASEAN economic committees and ASEAN functional committees as well as some of their subsidiary bodies. In the said endeavours, the ASEAN Secretariat representatives provided the background and concept papers, served as resource persons, and assisted in drafting the record of the outcome of the meetings. The officers of the ASEAN Secretariat also attended conferences and seminars held within the framework of the ASEAN relationship with the dialogue partners.
3 The Joint Consultative Meeting (JCM), consisting of Senior Political Officials, Senior Economic Officials, and Directors-General of the ASEAN National Secretariats, was convened by the Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat to coordinate positions of ASEAN member countries prior to the meetings of APEC Senior Officials.
Attendance at Meetings under the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
4 The Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat attended the Ministerial-Level Meeting of APEC in Seoul, 11-14 November 1991. The officials of the ASEAN Secretariat also participated in the various APEC Senior Officials Meetings in preparation for the Fourth APEC Ministerial-Level Meeting scheduled to be held in September 1992 in Bangkok.
5 The ASEAN Secretariat acted as Joint Rapporteur of the APEC Senior Officials Meetings held in Bangkok in March and June 1992 respectively.
Venue of ASEAN Meetings
6 The ASEAN Secretariat hosted, among others, the following ASEAN Meetings during the year,:-
a) First Meeting of Working Group on Scope and Mechanism of ASEAN's External Relations and the restructuring of ASEAN Institutions, 6-7 November 1991.
b) First Meeting of Working Group on Political and Security Cooperation, 7-8 November 1991.
c) Second Meeting of ASEAN SOM Preparatory Committee for Fourth ASEAN Summit, 8 November 1991.
d) The Meeting of Japan-ASEAN Exchange Programme (JAEP) Management Committee, 2 April 1992.
e) A Working Team of COCI Experts, 12-15 May 1992.
f) The 16th Meeting of the ASEAN Audit Committee, 20-24 April 1992.
g) The 15th Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Budget, 1-5 June 1992.
7 The ASEAN Secretariat also facilitated the convening of the Advisory Group Meeting of the ASEAN Cultural Fund in Yogyakarta on 30 April - 1 May 1992.
8 The ASEAN Secretariat was also the venue for the signing of Agreement for E-Mail System between the ASEAN Secretariat and the Samsung Electronics Company Limited on 19 June 1992.
D A T E
Administration of ASEAN Trust Funds
9 The ASEAN Secretariat continued to manage and administer the following funds --
a) ASEAN Cultural Fund Operational Account
b) ASEAN Science Fund
c) Japan Scholarship Fund for ASEAN Youth
d) ASEAN Regional Studies Promotion Programme (ARSPP)
e) Japan-ASEAN Cooperation Promotion Programme (JACPP)
f) Canadian Technical Assistance (Library Fund)
g) ASEAN-Japan Special Cooperation Fund.
ASEAN Day Celebration
10 The 24th Anniversary of the founding of ASEAN was celebrated on 8 August 1991 with various activities under the auspicies of the ASEAN Secretariat. The ASEAN Embassies in Jakarta and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia gave full support to the holding of sports events in celebration of the ASEAN Day. The enthusiastic participation of officials and members of their families contributed to the strengthening of the ties of friendship and solidarity of ASEAN.
11 On 8 August 1991, a flag-raising ceremony was held at the ASEAN Secretariat premises with the attendance of ASEAN Ambassadors, diplomats, members of their family, and the staff of the ASEAN Secretariat. The Secretary-General hosted the reception in the same evening attended by high ranking officials of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, members of the diplomatic corps, and prominent figures from the business sector of Jakarta.
Information Services
12 Dissemination of information on the activities of ASEAN to the general public was normally conducted through the various publications of the ASEAN Secretariat and the replies made to queries about ASEAN activities. The members of the staff at the ASEAN Secretariat held talks, discussions and briefings for visitors, including journalists, researchers, officials from ASEAN member government and third countries, and groups of university students. The Public Information Section also supplied relevant information about ASEAN to inquirers from within and outside ASEAN, who were interested in ASEAN activities.
13 University students from various universities and higher institutions in Indonesia visited the ASEAN Secretariat on several occasions during the year under review. They were briefed on the back- ground and various aspects of ASEAN cooperation with special emphasis on present activities and prospects for the future. Films about ASEAN were from time to time shown to give audio-visual reflection of ASEAN cooperation. Publications on ASEAN were also distributed during the said visits. A new development was the increasing interest shown about the restructuring of the ASEAN Secretariat.
14 A number of publications were produced during the period under review, namely
a) The Annual Report of the ASEAN Standing Committee 1990-1991;
b) Statement of the 24th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Post Ministerial Conferences with the Dialogue Partners, Kuala Lumpur, 1991;
c) Meeting of the ASEAN Heads of Government, Singapore, 27-28 January 1992;
d) ASEAN Newsletter;
e) Press Releases (occasional);
f) Monthly Calendar of ASEAN Meetings;
g) Monthly Selected Press Clippings on ASEAN News and Views - 12 issues (only for selective distribution);
h ASEAN - An Overview - Third Revised Edition - 1991;
i) ASEAN Documents Series, 1991-1992.
