UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon 's statement on ASEAN (the Association of South-East Asian Nations)

I deeply regret the postponement of the ASEAN and related summits and the consequent postponement of my attendance to the events. I understand the circumstances that led the Thai Government to take this difficult decision. While I had hoped to have exchanges with the leaders of ASEAN and its dialogue partners, I continue to look forward to engaging again with them in the near future.

I strongly value the long-standing relationship between ASEAN and the United Nations and their cooperation in various fields. I hope for an early restoration of normalcy in Thailand and for the settlement of differences through dialogue and peaceful means.