Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo warned Saturday that Southeast Asia is affected by developments in other parts of the world, but external forces are not allowed to affect the general harmony that exists in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Speaking at a seminar entitled "Towards Peace, Intercultural, Interfaith Harmony and Justice" , George Yeo said that although ASEAN has many problems, the sense of solidarity among the 10 countries of the organization is getting stronger.

He said that Singapore, which has a population of over 4 million, has learnt that racial and religious conflicts can be avoided if it adopts the right policies, exercises strong leadership and act quickly when problem arises.

"Having the right policies mean being fair to everyone, regardless of his race or religion. Singaporeans know that the government treats all races and religions in an even-handed way," he said.

ASEAN, which was established in 1967, now has 10 member countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

The ASEAN region has now a population of some 500 million, a total area of 4.5 million square kilometers, a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of almost 700 billion U.S. dollars, and a total trade of about 850 billion U.S. dollars.

As a regional organization, ASEAN aims to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region, and to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.

Source: Xinhua