UN General Assembly
1997

cooperation and support. The general debate of this Assembly is the only truly universal forum where leaders representing diverse sovereign countries and their peoples are able to articulate very freely their views, without fear or favour. Given the monopoly of international information and communication by vested interests, the value of this Assembly as a forum for the free expression of differing views by leaders representing the sovereign Member States cannot be overstated. As an annual debate which serves the purpose of bringing to the attention of the international community the priority issues of concern to sovereign Member States, it cannot be replaced. Today, I am privileged to have the benefit of this forum to share with Members the priority issues of concern to Malaysia. Let me begin with a matter of immediate concern to us and to a number of other Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, which experienced the severe effects of the turmoil in currency and stock markets in recent weeks. Stock prices plunged while our national currencies depreciated, exacting a heavy