Introduction

Summary

This handbook provides basic information on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), its organization and the various co-operation activities. The emphasis is on economic co-operation.

In their day-to-day work, political and administrative decision-makers, academics working on ASEAN, as well as all informed citizens of the ASEAN countries regularly require such information. It is available in many forms, but it is mostly scattered in official documents and in the fast expanding current literature on ASEAN. There is, thus, a need to provide the basic information in a handy volume. This handbook attempts to fill that need.

The material has been drawn together from many sources, and due care has been taken to be as up-to-date and accurate as possible. Nevertheless, this handbook is not an official ASEAN document and, since ASEAN is a living organization within a continuous process of change, updating will become necessary from time to time.

The ASEAN Economic Research Unit of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies would welcome corrections and suggestions for improvement for the next update of this handbook. All such information should be addressed to the Co-ordinator of the ASEAN Economic Research Unit at the address below.