Chronology of the development of ASEAN

1967 Signing of the ASEAN Declaration in Bangkok on 8 August by the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, marking the foundation of the association. This counts as the first ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM). The AMM meets annually thereafter. Creation of the ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC) to prepare meetings of the AMM.

1971 ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (ASEAN SOM) established to discuss sensitive issues before submission to the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM). The SOM leader is the permanent secretary or equivalent.

1973 Foreign Ministers decide to establish an ASEAN Secretariat.

1975 End of the Vietnam War with the fall of South Vietnam. ASEAN Economic Ministers meet for the first time in Bali (the next meeting in Kuala Lumpur the following year adopted the name ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting). ASEAN Labour Ministers (ALMM) meet in Jakarta and thereafter biannually.

1976 First ASEAN Summit held in Bali. Issue of the Declaration of ASEAN Concord (Bali Concord).

Signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). Establishment of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.

1977 Second ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur. ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting (AEM) formalised.

Establishment of the Senior Economic Officials' Meeting(SEOM). The AEM meets annually thereafter. ASEAN Education Ministers (ASED) meet for the first time in Manila; meetings are held irregularly thereafter.

1978 Invasion of Cambodia by Vietnamese forces. Special meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers held in January 1979 to deplore the invasion. ASEAN diplomats thereafter work together to deny diplomatic recognition to the new regime in Cambodia.

1980 Establishment of the ASEAN Ministers of Health Meeting (AHMM), ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology (AMMST) and ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM).

1981 ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME) held in Manila for the first time.

1986 ASEAN Law Ministers' Meeting (ALAWMM) established, to be held every thirty-six months thereafter with Senior Law Officials' Meetings (ASLOMs) in between.

1987 Brunei joins ASEAN. Third ASEAN Summit held in Manila.

1989 Conference of Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) inaugurated.