The chairman addressed the commitment to a region free of weapons of mass destruction. On 28 April, Ambassador H. The meeting covered counter-terrorism in a variety of fields, including CBRN explosives and cyber-terrorism.
The chairman addressed the concern on nuclear nonproliferation and other regional and international security issues. The Chairmanship expressed their commitment to preserving Southeast Asia as a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone and addressed other issues relevant to disarmament, nonproliferation, maritime security, and counterterrorism. On 9 January, Mr. He succeeds Dr. Surin Pitsuwan of Thailand, and his term expires on 31 December He further called for the DPRK to remember its obligations under United Nations Security Council Resolutions, and emphasized the importance of dialogue in resolving the tension in the Korean Peninsula.
One of the key topics is the planned rocket launch by North Korea. On 2 April, in Jakarta, the U. The lecture was given on the 35th anniversary of U. It also covered international issues and transnational crime. The meeting was intended to meet the following goals:. Given the nuclear catastrophe in Japan, Mr.
Yudhoyono stated that nuclear energy needs to be reexamined. The signing ceremony acted as the official launch of the center. The forum reaffirmed the importance of bilateral dynamics between China and ASEAN and identified economic opportunities for the two sides. On 4 May, H. The statement also congratulated the United States on the successful outcome of the Nuclear Security Summit and promised the support of ASEAN countries to work towards preventing nuclear terrorism.
It also encouraged both parties to implement the Joint Statement of 19 September and to resume the Six Party Talks and the implementation of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. Among other subjects, the conference debated and adopted resolutions regarding drugs trafficking, terrorism, arms smuggling and human trafficking. They also encouraged early resumption of the Six-Party Talks and the possible use of the ARF as a regional security forum including all participants to the Six-Party Talks.
On 7 January, Dr. Ong Keng Yong. Contracting Parties agree not to participate in any activity that constitutes a threat to the political and economic stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of another Contracting Party. On January, the 12th ASEAN Summit, postponed due to Typhoon Seniang, convened amid controversy regarding corruption and the overpricing of lamps used to light the routes to and among summit venues.
ACCT contains provisions intended to ease prosecution and extradition of terrorism suspects. The EAS also attempted to improve relations with China through the signing of an agreement on the trade of services. He also stressed the importance of arriving at a peaceful resolution of the problem through negotiations and expressed optimism about the role that ASEAN could play as an intermediary—helping to address both humanitarian, economic and security concerns in the region.
The Ministers called upon the NWS to ratify the protocols to the treaty and for the accession of Israel, India and Pakistan to the treaty.
The ministers also discussed their intentions to strengthen the regions relationship with the IAEA and capacity to implement safeguards. The Plan is intended to increase regional coordination in opposition to nuclear weapons and deepen regional participation in the relevant international agreements. In addition, the states agreed to consider accession to other relevant instruments such as the CTBT and the counter-terrorism conventions related to nuclear weapons.
The potential increase in the use of nuclear energy was discussed in this regard. They emphasized the need for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and called upon concerned parties to utilize the upcoming ASEAN Regional Forum as an opportunity to resume the Six-Party Talks towards a peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue.
Timor Leste also expressed an interest in acceding to the TAC. Leaders welcomed the 4th and 5th rounds of the Six-Party Talks held in July and November in Beijing, and called on all concerned parties to exert their utmost effort toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
They strongly condemned terrorism and reiterated the need to intensify their efforts to eliminate the root causes of terrorism at the bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels. Leaders also recognized the role of inter-faith dialogue in fighting the spread of terrorism and promoting understanding. It was agreed that the East Asia summit would be held annually.
Efforts to combat terrorism and address proliferation issues remained crucial in In addition, they discussed methods to promote effective legal cooperation and to strengthen exchange of intelligence and information in combating transnational crimes.
Within a broad discussion of terrorism, the Ministers specifically noted the connection between international terrorism and the movement of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons materials and the need for cooperation in preventing this, and agreed on several recommendations regarding how to strengthen transnational crime prevention. It stresses that to be effective and operational, nuclear weapon states must accede to the Protocol to the Treaty and urges them to do so as soon as possible.
Furthermore, it notes that ASEAN has been holding consultations with the five nuclear weapon states toward this end, but that only China has, thus far, reached an agreement with ASEAN regarding the protocol. The Ministers also addressed the issue of transnational crime and commended the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and China regarding non-traditional security issues, emphasizing the need for cooperation in fighting terrorism, particularly within the context of the ASEAN-US Counterterrorism Work Plan and other related agreements.
Specific regional concerns addressed by the Ministers included the situations in Iraq, the Middle East and on the Korean Peninsula. On the other hand, the ASEAN Charter also contains repeated statements emphasizing the principles of sovereignty and non-interference. In the case of Myanmar, there may be a tension between the emphasis on human rights, democracy, good governance and rule of law, and the reiteration of sovereignty and non- interference.
It is therefore heartening that the Prime Minister of Singapore Mr. National interests will increasingly have to be balanced with regional and international interests. Non-intervention cannot mean no action or indifference.
These statements sketch out a possible basis for ASEAN, as a grouping, to take an active role in the resolution of the Myanmar situation, while preserving the fundamental principles of sovereignty and non-interference in a realistic manner that recognizes the reality of growing regional interdependence.
The procedure for ratification varies from country to country. There is therefore a possibility of the ASEAN Charter not coming into force for an extended period of time, or even not at all.
The case of the Defence Co- operation Agreement and Extradition Treaty between Singapore and Indonesia, which have been signed by the two governments but which appear unlikely to be ratified by the Indonesian legislature, illustrates this possibility. It is also unclear what ratification means for countries such as Myanmar, which does not have a functioning legislature or even a valid constitution in force. This leaves open the possibility of the ASEAN Charter being signed and yet not coming into force for a prolonged period.
Secondly, even after the ASEAN Charter has come into force, there will remain challenges in practical implementation of its obligations, as many details remain to be agreed upon. The absence of an explicit implementation schedule for the ASEAN Charter, while disappointing and ironic, can nevertheless be addressed by the proposed reporting system by the Secretary-General. As the ASEAN Charter does not explicitly include any provision for decision-making by majority vote when a consensus is not possible, it therefore remains possible to argue that the ASEAN Summit may make such a decision only by consensus.
Human rights are not a modern or Western creation. Modern human rights as we understand them today began to be developed by 17 th and 18 th Century European philosophers like John Locke. All of these documents contained universal concepts of human rights and freedoms. Contrary to a common perception that human rights are abstract issues, human rights do play a critical role in daily life, in both economic and non-economic spheres.
Whenever a person applies for or holds a job, the right to non-discrimination is involved. Whenever a person buys something, the right to own property is involved. Whenever a person goes to a place of worship, the right to freedom of religion is involved. Whenever a person reads or even writes to the newspapers, the right to freedom of opinion and expression is involved. Whenever a person gathers in a group with other persons for any reason, even if it is just for lunch, the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association is involved.
For instance, human rights can play an important role in ensuring that a person is fairly treated at work. Toh is the highest-ranking Singaporean official at the United Nations, but was recently disciplined and demoted as the result of a disciplinary proceeding against him.
MFA noted that Mr. These entrenched rights are:. These purposes and principles of the ASEAN Charter relating to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms can be found in the Preamble and Articles 1 and 2, as follows:.
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