By Goh Sui Noi
Three more countries have ratified the Asean Charter, bringing the total to four member countries, with the remaining six expected to come round to it by December.
While the Philippines has said it may not ratify the charter unless Burma releases opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest, there is cautious optimism that it will do so within the time frame.
"The sentiment among the foreign ministers is one of quiet confidence that, in the end, it is in our national interest and in our collective interest to ratify the charter," said Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo yesterday (Feb 20).
He was speaking to reporters at a news conference after the conclusion of the Asean Foreign Ministers' annual retreat at Sentosa.
"It is only after the charter has been ratified that we can hold every country against the standards that they have agreed to," he added.
Without ratification, those standards would not apply, so "we are cautiously optimistic about the ratification by the end of this year", he said.
He pointed out that it had been the 'common expression' of the leaders of member-states last November when they signed the charter to ratify it by December.
Laos and Malaysia yesterday presented their instruments of ratification to Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan. Dr Surin also presented a letter of acknowledgement to Brunei, which had deposited its instrument via correspondence earlier.
Singapore was the first country to ratify the charter last month.
The ministers at the two-day retreat also agreed on a detailed plan of action for the implementation of the charter, said Yeo.
This included an agreement to set up a high-level panel to draft the terms of reference for the setting up of a committee which will look into the establishment of a human rights body, something that was provided for under the charter.
Another high-level panel, comprising senior officials, will be set up to draft the mechanism for dispute settlement.
This is an important apparatus through which disputes among Asean countries will be resolved in a legalistic manner.
This way, "when disputes arise, they need not be overly politicised", said Yeo.
The ministers also agreed to set up a committee of permanent representatives immediately after the ratification of the charter.
If the charter is ratified by December as planned, each country will have an ambassador at the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta by January next year.
So instead of calling special meetings, 'a good part' of Asean's business would be transacted in a routine way at the secretariat.
Yeo yesterday pointed out that Thailand, which will take over the chair of Asean from Singapore in July, will remain chairman for one and half years instead of the usual one year.
This is because the Asean calendar will be adjusted to start in January as provided for in the charter. Its calendar year now begins in July.
This means it will hold two year-end formal summits plus a retreat summit, which the charter calls for.
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