DELEGATIONS ARRIVING FOR THE MEETING; PRESIDENT SUHARTO OF INDONESIA ARRIVING; FOREIGN MINISTERS TAKING THEIR SEATS; PRESIDENT SUHARTO SPEAKING.




Initials RM/VS/BOB/SS



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Background: THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN) ASSOCIATION -- COMPRISING INDONESIA, THAILAND, SINGAPORE, THE PHILIPPINES AND MALAYSIA -- ANNOUNCED PLANS AT THE END OF THEIR TWO DAY MEETING IN JAKARTA, INDONESIA, YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) TO SET UP PERMANENT BODIES TO CO-OPERATE IN SUCH MATTERS AS COMMUNICATIONS, SHIPPING FOOD PRODUCTION AND AVIATION.

THE MINISTERS, WHOSE MEETING WAS AN INFORMAL ONE, ALSO TOOK THEIR FIRST COMMON REVIEW OF PROBLEMS AFFECTING THEIR SECURITY, AND DISCUSSED WORLD PROBLEMS IN GENERAL. INDONESIA HAS SO FAR CONTINUED ITS POLICY -- FORMULATED UNDER THE DEPOSED PRESIDENT SUKARNO - OF DECLINING TO TAKE PART IN ANY REGIONAL SECURITY ORGANISATIONS, LIKE THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN TREATY ORGANISATION (SEATO), IN FAVOUR OF A MORE NEUTRALIST POSITION.