While Southeast Asian countries comprise some of the world's fastest growing economies and key transitional democracies, there are also those that resist democratization and many with pockets of persistent civil strife. In addition, Southeast Asia is home to hundreds of millions of Muslims, and--as evidenced by the Bali bombing in 2002 and an increase in the activities and recruitment by Jamaah Islamiyah--it has become clear that the war on terror and Islamic extremism has spread to the region.

In an off-the-record roundtable luncheon, Frank Lavin, U.S. ambassador to Singapore, will share his thoughts on the upcoming national elections in the region, prospective bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements, U.S. security, and public diplomacy challenges, as well as insights to understanding potential threats from the region.