Papua New Guinea

ASEAN continues to have friendly relations with Papua New Guinea which was accorded Special Observer status in ASEAN in 1976. Papua New Guinea acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia in 1989. At the last consultative session during the AMM in Singapore, ASEAN expressed support for Papua New Guinea's proposal at the United Nations to corn- mission a panel of experts to study and recommend measures to increase economic opportunities in the developing countries. In 1993, ASEAN successfully supported Papua New Guinea's membership into the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Papua New Guinea's entry into APEC would provide her an important venue to expand external economic relations in the Asia- Pacific region. Papua New Guinea will also be participating in the ASEAN Regional Forum which will meet for the first time in July 1994 in Bangkok.