ASEAN today urgently needs to get itself understood by as many people as possible, especially those who have a stake in the success of its work. But most writing on ASEAN is technical writing. What is needed today is more writing on ASEAN that can be understood by laymen. That, of course, is quite a challenge. For the situation of ASEAN is complex and so is its work. But it necessary that an effort be made to interpret ASEAN to people who should take more interest in it. This booklet is the third of a series of simply worded and brief writings on the work of ASEAN and how ASEAN works. The series is a project of the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (COCI) and is intended for distribution wherever there are people who should know more about ASEAN.