on including more members into the organisation .
The ASEAN Declaration of 1967 is considered ASEAN ’ s founding document and formalises the principles of peace and cooperation to which ASEAN is dedicated towards achieving . Later , in 1976 , the members signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia , which emphasises the mutual respect and noninterference in other countries ’ affairs .
After the resolution of Cambodia ’ s civil war in 1991 , the end of the Cold War and the normalisation of relations between the United States and Vietnam in 1995 , there was relative peace in mainland SEA , which paved the way for other states to join the original five countries .
After the addition of Brunei , Vietnam , Laos , Myanmar and Cambodia , initiatives were launched to boost regionalism and a treaty signed in 1995 , for example , stated that the countries within the ASEAN agreement , would refrain from developing , acquiring , or possessing nuclear weapons .
The first few joint development programmes that were undertaken by ASEAN included projects such as ways to increase food production , promote tourism , ease travel restrictions between regions , and enhance cooperation in the field of mass media through the exchange of radio and television programmes . Plans were also put into place to liberalise trade amongst members , in a bid to improve intraregional trade .
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1967 The five foreign ministers who signed the ASEAN declaration were renowned statesmen , hailed for their nationalist sentiments and vision for a more interconnected Southeast Asian region
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JULY 31 , 1961
Known originally as the Association of Southeast Asia ( ASA ), the idea is constituted with Malaya , Thailand , and the Philippines as members
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HOW IS ASEAN GOVERNED ?
ASEAN is headed by a chair , which is a position that rotates annually amongst member states , and is assisted by a secretariat based in Jakarta , Indonesia . Important decisions are usually reached through consultation and consensus , guided by the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and peaceful resolution of conflicts
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
The 1976 Treaty of Amity and Coorporation ( TAC ) in Southeast Asia declared that in their relations with one another , the High Contracting Parties should be guided by the following fundamental principles :
• Mutual respect for the independence , sovereignty , equality , territorial integrity , and national identity of all nations
• The right of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference , subversion , or coercion
• Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another
• Settlement of differences of disputes in a peaceful manner
• Renunciation of the threat or use of force
• Effective cooperation among members
JUNE 1966
ASA initiates discussions to include more members
MAY 1967
Plans to enlarge ASA are replaced by a proposal to form a new group based on ASA ’ s framework
AUGUST 1967
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) is established in Bangkok at the height of the Vietnam War by five countries : Indonesia , Malaysia , the Philippines , Singapore , and Thailand
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