Singapore, 11 August 1997

The Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting was chaired by the Chairman of the ASEAN Standing Committee, H.E. Domingo L. Siazon, Jr.

The Meeting was briefed by the members of the ASEAN Mission on Cambodia, consisting of Their Excellencies the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, on their second meeting with H.E. Samdech Hun Sen, Second Prime Minister of Cambodia, which was held on 2 August 1997 in Phnom Penh.

As a result of this briefing, and the discussions that followed, the Foreign Ministers agreed that ASEAN will remain engaged in its effort to help restore political stability in Cambodia.

As to the form in which ASEAN will pursue these efforts, it need not necessarily be limited to direct meetings at the Prime Ministers level (on the Cambodian side), and at the various capitals, but could also proceed at the level of the Foreign Ministers at various other places (e.g. at the United Nations).

The possibility of organizing an informal meeting, involving all parties directly concerned, is also not to be excluded.

The Meeting also discussed the latest developments in Cambodia, including the election of H.E. Foreign Minister Ung Huot as First Prime Minister and assessed these developments in the context of their implications and impact on the continuing efforts to restore political stability in Cambodia. To this end, ASEAN will continue to carefully monitor further developments. The question of recognition of H.E. Foreign Minister Ung Huot as First Prime Minster did not arise because ASEAN member states recognize states not governments.

The Meeting stressed the importance of the holding of free and fair elections in Cambodia as scheduled in May 1998. In this connection, they reaffirmed the necessity for all political parties in Cambodia to participate fully in the elections and reiterated ASEAN’s readiness to help Cambodia with technical cooperation in facilitating these elections.

The timing of Cambodia’s admission into ASEAN was not on the agenda of the Meeting.

The Foreign Ministers expressed their appreciation for the warm hospitality and the excellent arrangements made by the Government of Singapore for their Meeting.