UN General Assembly
1979

177. The experience of ASEAN, in its efforts to establish a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality, offers a useful analogy in this regard. Its most important objective is the attainment and preservation of peace as a prerequisite for that sustained development of the region by pursuing the goals of preventing external interference and containing intra-regional differences. ASEAN hopes, thereby, to make a positive contribution to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region. 178. The Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea approved during last summer's session a programme of work providing for the adoption of a new and comprehensive convention on the law of the sea next year. My delegation wishes to express its appreciation for this useful and timely decision, which will enable us not only to initiate the exploitation of deep sea-bed resources but also to avoid protracted negotiations which, in the final analysis, will exhaust our limited resources, especially those of the developing countries.