Draft ASEAN Charter completed
VNGOP – The draft ASEAN Charter, a fundamental legal document for the foundation of the ASEAN Community by 2015, was officially tabled at a meeting last week in Vientiane, Laos.
Leaders of ASEAN members signed the Kuala Lumpur Statement on the ASEAN Charter at their summit held in Malaysia’s capital on December 11-12, 2005, outlining orientations and principles for the drafting of the document. Accordingly, the leaders decided to establish and assign the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) to propose practical recommendations for the charter. Later, a special working team in charge of drafting of the ASEAN Charter was also founded.
The draft ASEAN Charter consisting of 13 chapters and 55 articles is considered as the first binding statutes in the 40-year history of ASEAN.
The draft charter defines August 8, the date of ASEAN establishment, as the ASEAN Day.
It is expected that the draft document will be signed by leaders of all ASEAN nations at their senior meeting organized in Singapore next month before being ratified by all member-nations.
By Phương Uyên
