This includes support for policies and agreements to bring that about, such as the Asean Charter, which in some countries must be ratified by the legislature.

But formal agreements alone were not enough for integration to succeed, he told 300 legislators and representatives from Asean and eight of its dialogue partners, including China, Australia and the European Union.

Equally crucial are friendships and relationships between people.

Said Mr Lee: 'Asean would not work if it were a distant, abstract idea to the peoples of its member states, having no relevance to their daily lives or impact on their most pressing concerns.'

Europe's experience showed the danger of an elite-driven integration process, as voters in France and Ireland rejected proposals for an EU Constitution. Most did not see themselves as citizens of Europe.

'No initiative can succeed if it does not rest on a foundation of strong domestic support,' Mr Lee said.

The MPs from eight Asean countries and representatives from Brunei and Myanmar, which do not have parliaments, are holding the annual Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (Aipa) meeting here.

Host Singapore has 30 MPs attending.

Discussions over the three days are expected to cover issues such as forging an Asean identity, narrowing the economic gap between members, and human rights.

Aipa was previously known as the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Organisation, which was formed in 1977 by a group of MPs whom Mr Lee described as 'visionary' as they 'understood the need to take a larger view of the region's interests beyond national and domestic considerations'.

They saw that while MPs might belong to different parties, Asean cooperation was a non-partisan issue all could back.

Today's MPs 'must also continue to enlist public support for our Asean vision'.

As MPs interact with governments, meet fellow MPs from the region, and stay close to the ground, they can also best explain to the man in the street the need for economic and political links among Asean states.

Closer integration is even more critical now if the region is to hold its own with competition from China and India.

Meetings like the Aipa one allow them to get to know one another and better understand the unique circumstances, perspectives and preoccupations of their counterparts.

'Hopefully, when Asean matters come before you for a vote in your parliaments, this will help you appreciate the issues better,' he said.

'And when problems arise between Asean countries, which are inevitable from time to time, this will give you a feel for the people on the other side of the issue, so that we can keep the difficulties in perspective and maintain the friendship between our countries.'

Mr Lee noted that the Asean Charter, which leaders signed last November, had been ratified by seven states, which looked forward to its 'eventual and expeditious' ratification by all members.

Singapore's Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi, Aipa's current president, said the group respected the seriousness with which the question of ratification was being considered: 'This is further testimony to the seriousness with which Asean is viewed in all its member states. We would not have it any other way.

'Nonetheless, we are confident we will hear good news of further ratifications soon.'

Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand have yet to ratify the Charter.

But Indonesian Parliament Speaker Agung Laksono said yesterday he was confident it would be ratified by the year- end. In Jakarta, Agence France-Presse quoted Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda as saying it could come as early as next month.

Asean hopes all members will do so by its next summit in Bangkok in December.

Mr Lee also spoke of challenges to the region posed by the global economic slowdown, which could worsen protectionism and exacerbate tensions within and between countries.

This made it even more necessary for parliamentarians to set the tone in Asean cooperation, he said.

It was a view Mr Laksono shared: 'At the end of the day, conflicts are counterproductive. So MPs do have a role to play in diplomacy. We have to face the outside world together, not quibble among one another.'

zakirh@sph.com.sg