Mr. Chairman,
Your Majesty,
Your Excellencies ASEAN Heads of State and Government,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to attend the Sixth ASEAN Summit held in Hanoi, the beautiful Capital of heroic Vietnam.

Allow me to take this opportunity to express my deep thanks to the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for its warmest hospitality and all facilities extended to our delegation since the very moment of arrival.

The Lao People's Democratic Republic delegation should like to express its sincere congratulation to His Excellency Mr. Phan Van Khai, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam on their elections as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of this important Summit respectively, and it is believed that with Mr. Chairman's rich leadership experience, the present Summit will attain its lofty goal as expected.

On the part of the Lao People's Democratic Republic delegation, it will do its utmost to contribute, in conjunction with the delegations of other member states, toward a brilliant success of our Summit.

We wish hereby to extend our wholehearted welcome to Excellency Somdech Hunsen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Mr. Chairman,

The Sixth ASEAN Summit is of historic significance as it provides an opportunity to our Heads of State and Government to assess the gains of ASEAN in meeting challenges and availing opportunities for its growth from its birth to the turn of this Century. At the same time, the Meeting will focus on charting the course of ASEAN to respond to the reality of the region and the world at the threshold of the next millennium.

It is however regrettable that there are only 9 full-fledged members attending Summit, thus unfulfilling the vision of our leaders. The Lao PDR affirms its full support of Cambodia being admitted as full member of ASEAN in the nearest future for a family of all ten Southeast Asian countries.

Today, ASEAN comprises 9 countries with the population of nearly 500 million. Being though a community of political, economic and cultural diversity, ASEAN serves to be a driving force of the region enjoying dynamism and playing an increasing role on the international arena. This is owed to ASEAN at all times maintaining and strengthening its solidarity and cohesiveness with strong adherence to its basic principles, namely principles of respect for the independence and identity of all nations, non-interference in each other's internal affairs as well as the principle of consultation and consensus. As for the Lao People's Democratic Republic, which has become a member since the middle of last year, it is proud to see the increasing growth of ASEAN and will cooperate with other member states to preserve the said fine tradition.

Over the past year, despite the financial and economic crisis affecting many ASEAN Member States, we have sought ways to minimize its impact and take necessary measures aimed at recovery and bringing the economy of every individual country as well as of our ASEAN as a whole on track of continued growth towards prosperity.

The exchange of experience on socio-economic development policies between fellow member states should be a way under the framework of ASEAN cooperation to assist every country and the whole ASEAN to enjoy continued growth, avoid repetition of shortcomings and increase ASEAN's competitiveness in the next Century.

It is gratifying for the Lao People's Democratic Republic to see the progress made in the implementation of the ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation, specially the project on construction of a railway linking ASEAN member countries together and connecting them with China. I do hope that the completed feasibility study of the project will bring the railway to across Lao territory into reality. This is to pave the way for Laos, the only land-locked ASEAN country, to integrate herself into the main stream of regional cooperation.

As far as function cooperation is concerned, it is also of great importance for it not only helps foster ASEAN solidarity and unity but also it serves as a method of coordinating economic and social development goals. I am pleased to note that since the 5th ASEAN formal Summit, functional cooperation has constantly been elevated to the same level Of the ASEAN political and economic cooperation, with the aim to eradicate poverty and narrow the gap of the level of development of the member countries.

Mr. Chairman,

The signing of the Second Protocol to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) has ensured that states outside Southeast Asia can associate themselves with us under the same principles enshrined in the Treaty.

The ASEAN Regional Forum, in which ASEAN continues to be the driving force, has shared the responsibilities and commitments among 21 countries and the European Union, in maintaining stability in Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific region. Therefore, in our common interest, the furtherance of lasting peace and stability is a necessity and obligation of each participant of the forum.

I am pleased to note that in the past years, ASEAN has initiated and organized a series of Workshop on Managing Potential Conflicts in the South China Sea, including the existing mechanisms of ASEAN-China Senior Officials Consultations. It is hoped that the countries concern will continue their efforts and to further exercise self-restraint in order to settle disputes by peaceful means on the basis of the 1982 UN Convention Law of the Sea, the 1992 Manila Declaration on the South China Sea and the Joint Statement issued at the ASEAN-China Summit in Kuala Lumpur in 1997.

Mr. Chairman,

The 6th ASEAN Summit Meeting is the last ASEAN Formal Summit of the 20th century and is the first ASEAN Formal Summit Meeting that chart the course of ASEAN for the 21th century. I am confident that ASEAN achievements in the past 31 years and the success of this meeting, ASEAN solidarity and unity will be further strengthened and ASEAN will continue to become an Association of economic dynamism and elevated social values. In accordance with the ASEAN spirit of national resilience and self-determination, ASEAN will continue to broaden its cooperation with other countries and international community. Towards this end, in the next three years, it is necessary for ASEAN to continue adhering to our desire and to the fundamental principles in the ASEAN Vision 2020 as well as to the realization of the Hanoi Declaration and the Hanoi Plan of Action which we are going to adopt at this Meeting.

The Lao People's Democratic Republic will closely cooperate with other member countries in unswervingly following the ASEAN direction and will make every efforts in its capacity to contribute to treasuring the spirit of self-resilience by the ASEAN way which is a source of our dynamism and will power in overcoming the crisis that is facing us in order to enter into the 21st century with confidence in our greater economic prosperity and with common identity and destiny.

Thank you.