As the thirtieth-anniversary year of ASEAN passes into history, the Association and the region face both unparalleled opportunities and new challenges.

ASEAN is now made up of nine members and on the threshold of fulfilling its founders' vision of an association encompassing all ten countries of Southeast Asia.

ASEAN was born in a time of turmoil and conflict. Now, all the member-nations are at peace within themselves, with one another and with the world. ASEAN has established effective forums for consultation and dialogue where they and outside powers with interests in the region can discuss political and security questions and deal with them amicably and peacefully. The ten nations of Southeast Asia have proclaimed the region nuclear weapons-free and have committed themselves to keeping it that way.

ASEAN has taken rapid strides in freeing trade and investment flows among them while opening their economies to the rest of the world. The ASEAN Free Trade Area is nearing its full realization. Trade in services among ASEAN members is similarly being freed up. An ASEAN Investment Area is being worked on. Growth areas among contiguous regions of ASEAN member-countries are stimulating economic activity there. Cooperation in a wide range of economic sectors - from transport and communications to tourism and agriculture -- is intensifying. Cooperation on financial matters has been stepped up in response to the turmoil in the currency markets.

At the same time, ASEAN cooperation in such areas as the environment, science and technology, culture and information, and social development has proceeded apace. It has now expanded its scope to encompass trans-national crime and rural development.

In the middle of December 1997, ASEAN's leaders proclaimed their vision for ASEAN in 2020. What our leaders foresee for ASEAN at that time is a region that is, by design and necessity, much more closely integrated than it is today. For the opportunities that beckon to a region so integrated are manifold, and the challenges that face the region can be met only with regional cooperative action.

ASEAN's future thus calls for regional action that is carried out with unsurpassed intensity and dedication. This, in MM demands of ASEAN and its member-nations the utmost solidarity and the closest cooperation - not only among the governments but also among the business sectors, the non-governmental organizations, the academic communities, and the people as a whole.

The times, today and in the future, require of all of ASEAN a deep sense of common identity and a fervent spirit of community.

With this and with the inherent strengths of the member-nations, we can be confident that ASEAN and its peoples will prevail and attain greater heights of prosperity, stability and happiness.