In fact, the laid-back atmosphere of the ASEAN ministerial meeting was transformed on the Sabbath today, when US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright walked into the Manila Hotel, her electric blue suit and stetson hat a promise of the colourful and tough proceedings at the ARF meeting tomorrow.

Prime Minister Vajpayee's special envoy Jaswant Singh is to hold talks with Albright on the sidelines of the ARF meeting tomorrow.

Albright allowed no questions to the waiting press corps -- and was consequently booed by the photographers -- but ASEAN officials told The Indian Express that they would not budge under"outside pressure", a euphemism for Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan, to condemn India's nuclear tests in the Chairman's statement to be issued at the end of the meeting.

"We will not condemn (India), we will not take names actually but we will deplore (the tests)," said Kobsak Chutikul, spokesman for the Thai foreign ministry, adding: "We will also call for all countries to adhere to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. All nuclear weapon states should also dismantle their nuclear weapons and give assurances that they will do so."

Chutikul as well as other ASEAN officials admitted that there is pressure on the ARF meeting tomorrow to "condemn" India, primarily from the aforesaid non-ASEAN members. Since the ASEAN have already refused to do so, the introduction of a stronger language in the final statement might mean a "slap in the face" for these nations. Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, for example, are said to be squarely opposed to anything other than ageneral reference to India.

With Philippines in the chair, the US is said to be behind the scenes pushing Japan, Australia and New Zealand. If Philippines succumbs to the pressure of not only an old ally but also to the possible lure of a bailout from its financial crisis, the cleavage between the ASEAN and the Rest of the World -- all because of India -- might prove very destabilising for the region.

"The ARF is an ASEAN-driven forum. The Chairman's statement is not open to negotiations. We will listen to the non-ASEAN members and if they want to issue their own statements that's fine. We will of course express concern about India's tests but that is all. We will make a balance," Chutikul added.

India's presence at the ARF, the first time in an international forum (the P-5 and G-8 are represented here) after its tests, is sure to enliven the proceedings. Officials say they will not shy away from a debate but use the occasion to explain their point of view.

At a press conference this morning,Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer reiterated his criticism of India. "The French nuclear tests in 1995 were condemned and deserved to be condemned. So too do the Indian and Pakistani tests. They have led to a serious deterioration in the security environment of South Asia," Downer said.

On the eve of the ARF meeting, Canadian foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy described the tests in the Indian subcontinent as having "unacceptable consequences for the region as a whole." Canada, which plays a significant role in Asia-Pacific security, must continue pushing the nuclear non-proliferation agenda.

Walden Bello, well-known author on the region's political economy, points to the classic dilemma faced by the ASEAN elite, what he calls "economic blackmail". Despite some resentment about the US, he said, "The elite here feels that the US presence in the region checks China and prevents the arming of Japan. Along with the old US tie and the need for financial support, there may be few options left," hesaid.

Meanwhile, India today assured ASEAN of pursuing a "flexible" look-East policy and called for efforts to overcome the financial turmoil in the East and South East Asian region. This was conveyed during meetings Jaswant Singh had with leaders of the ASEAN countries today.