UN General Assembly
1997

aspirations of the Korean people to live in peace and achieve the peaceful reunification of the Korean homeland. In South-East Asia, efforts to strengthen economic, cultural and other cooperation and improve the settlement of disputes by peaceful means are clearly priorities. The admission of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Myanmar as fully fledged members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on 23 July last was a historic event of great significance. It is our firm hope that an ASEAN of 10 will become a reality in the near future and will contribute to strengthening our region, and making it more prosperous, in the interests of peace, stability and cooperation in Asia and the Pacific, and in the world at large. Another problem which has aroused international concern is the recent event in Cambodia. Fortunately, the current Government has been able to restore normality in accordance with the country’s legislative procedures. The international community, including the Lao People’s 15 Democratic Republic, continues to recognize and respect His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk as Head of State of