Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos will be admitted into Asias most powerful regional group next month. The Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) agreed on the historic step at a weekend summit which was initially divided on the issue because of accusations of human rights violations in Myanmar.
The Philippines and Thailand expressed reservations at the summit in Kuala Lumpur but gave way to Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam, which supported entry.
The US, which helped found Asean during the height of the Vietnam war and which has led international condemnation of Myanmars human rights record, opposed its entry into Asean.
The decision brings 466 million people under Aseans umbrella and marks the realisation of its founding aim - to extend membership to all 10 of the regions countries.
It comprises many of the worlds fastest growing tiger economies, straddles the sea lanes from Europe to Japan and China, and according to some, provides a counterweight to Chinas growing influence in the region.
The three new members will be given 10 years from January 1998 to comply with the tariff reduction schedule of the Asean Free Trade Area (Afta).
Other members have until 2003 to reduce tariffs on 98 per cent of traded items to below 5 per cent, apart from Vietnam, which has until 2006.
Intra-Asean trade has been growing apace, climbing to more than $70 billion in 1996 from $27 billion in 1990.
A process of economic liberalisation in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos is likely to increase their attraction to direct investors.
Another benefit of membership for Myanmar is that countries and companies in the region may no longer fear being singled out for criticism by the west, as the US recently did by imposing sanctions on Myanmar.
There will be safety in numbers, says J N Mak of the Centre for Maritime Security and Diplomacy in Kuala Lumpur.
However, the planned tariff reduction programme could present difficulties. Cambodias government derives 72 per cent of its tax revenue from customs and will be hard pressed to meet Afta guidelines without upsetting the national budget.
The establishment of what is now clearly a two-track Asean could also provide excuses for some core members of the group to seek exemptions from Afta deadlines, especially in the area of agriculture and vehicles.
Meanwhile, internal Asean politics and its relationship with the rest of the world could now become more convoluted.
Divisions over Myanmars entry were evident, with the more democratic countries of Thailand and Philippines showing the most reluctance, while Singapore, which attaches great value to the US security presence in Asia, was more neutral.
Ali Alatas, Indonesias foreign minister, signalled that the need to balance Chinas growing economic and military power was a factor in the speedy admission of Myanmar, which is supplied militarily from Beijing.
By having all three together, we are now complete.
Politically, Myanmar is likely to receive much more from Asean than it offers to the group. Aseans decision may be interpreted by the Burmese junta as a stamp of approval for its past actions and as armour against future criticism.
It is possible the wests opposition to Myanmars entry could give Asean an anti-west edge, diplomats said.
A conflict is already shaping up over whether Myanmar will be allowed to attend the Asia-Europe summit in London next year.
For the time being, Asean has not assigned the new members dialogue partners with non-member countries - such as the US, EU, Australia, Canada and others - thus limiting their access to big powers via Asean.
But the Pan-Asian rhetoric may be dense at a December summit of Asean leaders in Malaysia, to which China, Japan and Korea have for the first time been invited.
It is possible that such a summit could move Asean closer to Asias big powers, while distancing it from the west.
