ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)

Last Meeting: 12^th ARF, 29 July 2005, Vientiane

Objectives:

The objectives of the ASEAN Regional Forum are outlined in the First ARF Chairman's Statement (1994), namely:

• to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern; and
• to make significant contributions to efforts towards confidence-building and preventive diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific region.
  The 27th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (1994) stated that "The ARF could become an effective consultative Asia-Pacific Forum for promoting open dialogue on political and security cooperation in the region. In this context, ASEAN should work with its ARF partners to bring about a more predictable and constructive pattern of relations in the Asia Pacific."