ID :
36567
Fri, 12/19/2008 - 20:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/36567
The shortlink copeid
ASEAN CHARTER SYMBOLISES BEGINNING OF NEW ERA
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 (Bernama) -- The Asean Charter which came into force last Monday symbolises the beginning of a new era to enable the regional organisation to continue to evolve and move forward in the years ahead.
In making the remarks, Ambassador-at-Large Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak said as a
politically negotiated but legally binding document, the Charter would no doubt
provide an element of certainty in the conduct of member states where compliance
would be paramount.
He stressed that although not necessarily perfect, there was no denying
that the Charter could now serve as the "mother" of all Asean instruments and
the primary source of reference that should prevail over other
instruments.
"Member states should be counted upon to ensure that the Charter remains as
a living and enduring document.
"They should also be free to revisit the Charter in tandem with the
development of Asean as an organisation."
Ahmad Fuzi who is the former secretary-general of the Foreign Ministry said
this at the Asia-Europe Institute (AEI) Ambassadors Lecture on "The Asean
Charter: Moving Forward" at the AEI, University of Malaya, here, Friday.
On Dec 15, the Asean Charter came into force with a meeting of Asean
foreign
ministers at the grouping's secretariat in Jakarta, about one month after
Thailand became the last member to deposit its ratifying documents.
Among others, the Charter sets out rules of membership, transforms Asean
into a legal entity and envisages a single free trade area by 2015 for the
vibrant and diverse region of more than 500 million people.
The Asean Charter was signed on Nov 20, 2007 by the leaders of the 10
Asean member states at the 13th Summit in Singapore and the landmark signing
came as Asean celebrated its 40th anniversary of its founding in 1967.
Ahmad Fuzi also answered to some of the criticisms levelled against the
Charter, such as it was not being bold and visionary enough, for having no
provision on suspension or expulsion of members and for being less substantive
that what the European Union (EU) had achieved in its draft
constitution.
"I consider the criticisms made as basically reflecting a misunderstanding
on the part of the critics concerned with regard to the complexity of Asean as
an organisation.
"Such criticisms were also unfair to the Charter drafting process and what
it took to draft and complete such a major document," said Ahmad Fuzi who is one
of the former members of the Asean High Level Task Force (HLTF) for drafting
the Asean Charter.
"No member states in any case could be expected to accept any provision in
the Charter under pressure. Pragmatism, therefore, became the key word," he
explained.
The distinguished diplomat pointed out that although relatively short with
only 37 pages, the Charter was comprehensive enough to provide a legal framework
to facilitate the conduct of both internal and external relations involving
Asean member states, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
"The Charter is not a plan of action. It is certainly not intended to be an
ideological or academic thesis. It is intended to formalise Asean's position on
the key issues in one single clearly written document, to manifest what could
and what could not be agreed upon at this stage of Asean's development," he
said.
According to Ahmad Fuzi, as an organisation, Asean should be more
preoccupied with regional integration by working hard to achieve its vision and
objectives rather than busily preoccupying itself with the suspension and
expulsion of its member states.
"The Asean Charter exercise should never be allowed to be a cause for the
collapse of Asean. Regional wisdom should prevail at all times," he
said.
Ahmad Fuzi said it was also too premature for Asean to form a union similar
to the EU and Africa Union (AU), simply because member states were not prepared
for that in many ways and they were not ready to sacrifice certain elements of
their national interests.
Taking a question from the floor, Ahmad Fuzi said he hoped the incoming
United States administration under President-elect Barack Obama would pay
more attention to Asean and the region.
The US came under criticism when Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice did
not attend two meetings of the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) in 2005 and 2007,
which the US is a member, prompting many to question Washington's commitment to
the region.
-- BERNAMA
In making the remarks, Ambassador-at-Large Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak said as a
politically negotiated but legally binding document, the Charter would no doubt
provide an element of certainty in the conduct of member states where compliance
would be paramount.
He stressed that although not necessarily perfect, there was no denying
that the Charter could now serve as the "mother" of all Asean instruments and
the primary source of reference that should prevail over other
instruments.
"Member states should be counted upon to ensure that the Charter remains as
a living and enduring document.
"They should also be free to revisit the Charter in tandem with the
development of Asean as an organisation."
Ahmad Fuzi who is the former secretary-general of the Foreign Ministry said
this at the Asia-Europe Institute (AEI) Ambassadors Lecture on "The Asean
Charter: Moving Forward" at the AEI, University of Malaya, here, Friday.
On Dec 15, the Asean Charter came into force with a meeting of Asean
foreign
ministers at the grouping's secretariat in Jakarta, about one month after
Thailand became the last member to deposit its ratifying documents.
Among others, the Charter sets out rules of membership, transforms Asean
into a legal entity and envisages a single free trade area by 2015 for the
vibrant and diverse region of more than 500 million people.
The Asean Charter was signed on Nov 20, 2007 by the leaders of the 10
Asean member states at the 13th Summit in Singapore and the landmark signing
came as Asean celebrated its 40th anniversary of its founding in 1967.
Ahmad Fuzi also answered to some of the criticisms levelled against the
Charter, such as it was not being bold and visionary enough, for having no
provision on suspension or expulsion of members and for being less substantive
that what the European Union (EU) had achieved in its draft
constitution.
"I consider the criticisms made as basically reflecting a misunderstanding
on the part of the critics concerned with regard to the complexity of Asean as
an organisation.
"Such criticisms were also unfair to the Charter drafting process and what
it took to draft and complete such a major document," said Ahmad Fuzi who is one
of the former members of the Asean High Level Task Force (HLTF) for drafting
the Asean Charter.
"No member states in any case could be expected to accept any provision in
the Charter under pressure. Pragmatism, therefore, became the key word," he
explained.
The distinguished diplomat pointed out that although relatively short with
only 37 pages, the Charter was comprehensive enough to provide a legal framework
to facilitate the conduct of both internal and external relations involving
Asean member states, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
"The Charter is not a plan of action. It is certainly not intended to be an
ideological or academic thesis. It is intended to formalise Asean's position on
the key issues in one single clearly written document, to manifest what could
and what could not be agreed upon at this stage of Asean's development," he
said.
According to Ahmad Fuzi, as an organisation, Asean should be more
preoccupied with regional integration by working hard to achieve its vision and
objectives rather than busily preoccupying itself with the suspension and
expulsion of its member states.
"The Asean Charter exercise should never be allowed to be a cause for the
collapse of Asean. Regional wisdom should prevail at all times," he
said.
Ahmad Fuzi said it was also too premature for Asean to form a union similar
to the EU and Africa Union (AU), simply because member states were not prepared
for that in many ways and they were not ready to sacrifice certain elements of
their national interests.
Taking a question from the floor, Ahmad Fuzi said he hoped the incoming
United States administration under President-elect Barack Obama would pay
more attention to Asean and the region.
The US came under criticism when Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice did
not attend two meetings of the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) in 2005 and 2007,
which the US is a member, prompting many to question Washington's commitment to
the region.
-- BERNAMA
