WHEREAS the Lao People's Democratic Republic became a Member State of ASEAN on 23 July 1997;

WHEREAS the Lao People's Democratic Republic has agreed to subscribe or accede, as the case may be, to all Declarations, Treaties and Agreements of ASEAN;

WHEREAS the Governments of ASEAN Member States signed the Ministerial Understanding on ASEAN Cooperation in Finance on 1 March 1997 at Phuket, Thailand;

NOW THEREFORE the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic hereby accedes to the Ministerial Understanding;

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC hereby agrees to, from the date of its accession to the Ministerial Understanding, immediately observe the commitments and carry out the obligations under the Ministerial Understanding.

This Protocol shall enter into force on the day of its signing.

This Protocol shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of ASEAN, who shall promptly fumish a certified copy thereof to each Member State of ASEAN.

IN WITNESS THEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, has signed the Protocol for the Accession of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to the Ministerial Understanding on ASEAN Cooperation in Finance.

DONE at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the First day of December in the year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety-Seven.

For the Lao People's Democratic Republic


BOUNLITH KHENNAVONG
Vice Minister of Finance