Alatas told reporters in Hanoi that the crisis had complicated traditional cooperation within the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) but that the end result had been to actually strengthen solidarity among member states.

ASEAN foreign and trade ministers have been arriving in Vietnam to lay the groundwork for a summit of leaders from December 15-16 that was expected to address the economic misery besetting the once high-flying region.

In addition, the sticky issue of Cambodia's admission into the group would be high on the agenda of talks, and foreign ministers said they would try to reconcile differences at an informal dinner on Friday evening.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

``We hope that from this conference a strong signal will emerge that despite the fact many in ASEAN are struggling...we will continue our efforts to integrate our economies through AFTA and we will continue to strive for the goals and objectives we have set for ourselves,'' Alatas said.

ASEAN officials have said this week that the timetable for tariff reduction under the centre piece ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) would be accelerated during the summit

According to draft documents seen by Reuters, ASEAN leaders were also expected to promote measures to boost investment, consider the feasibility of a regional currency and aim to develop a bond market by 2010.

The economic woes have exposed strains among member states and public bickering this year, most notably spats between Malaysia and its neighbours Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia, have bruised the grouping's image of cooperation.

Nevertheless, Alatas insisted solidarity was strong.

``It's undeniable the crisis places certain complications on our cooperation but it certainly is a fact also that the crisis has brought ASEAN closer together,'' he said.

``We help each other, we devise ways in which we could have programmes that will prevent a recurrence of this kind of (crisis). I think on the whole the crisis has strengthened the sense of mutual solidarity and cooperation.''

A statement from Vietnam's foreign ministry said officials holding preparatory meetings on Thursday had discussed unspecified ways to bring about an early economic recovery.

But the issue of whether Cambodia should join the group during next week's summit has hovered over talks between senior ASEAN officials this week in Hanoi.

Cambodia had been expected to join ASEAN in mid-1997 alongwith Laos and Myanmar, but its admission was postponed after premier Hun Sen ousted then co-premier prince Norodom Ranariddh in a coup in July 1997.

The issue -- like others to confront ASEAN this year -- has exposed differences among key members about when to admit Cambodia following the recent formation of a coalition government headed by strongman Hun Sen.

ASEAN leaders will also meet with Japanese prime minister Keizo Obuchi, South Korean president Kim Dae-jung and Chinese vice- president Hu Jintao during the summit.