ASEAN Charter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The ASEAN Charter is a constitution for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The intention to draft the constitution was formally tabled at the 11th ASEAN Summit held in December 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ten ASEAN leaders, one each from each member state, called the ASEAN Eminent Persons Group has been assigned to produce a draft of the charter.
In the 12th ASEAN Summit held in January 2007 in Cebu, the Philippines, several basic proposals were made public. One of the proposals includes the removal of non-interference policy that is central to the regional group since its formation in the 1960s.
It was adopted at the 13th ASEAN Summit in November 2007.[1]
[edit] Ratification of the Asean Charter
For the 1st Asean Charter to become legally binding, it has been agreed upon that all ten member nations must ratify the Charter before the next ASEAN Summit this December 2008. The Charter will become effective on the 30th day after the 10th "Instrument of Ratification" has been submitted to the ASEAN Secretary-General, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan.
To date, the following countries ratified and submitted the "Instrument of Ratification":
| Member State | Government Ratification | Deposit of Instrument of Ratification |
Signed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | Tuesday, 2007, December 18 | Monday, 2008, January 07 | Prime Minister |
| Brunei Darussalam | Thursday, 2008, January 31 | Friday, 2008, February 15 | Sultan |
| Malaysia | Thursday, 2008, February 14 | Wednesday, 2008, February 20 | Foreign Minister |
| Lao PDR | Thursday, 2008, February 14 | Wednesday, 2008, February 20 | Prime Minister |
| Cambodia | Tuesday, 2008, February 25[2][3] | Friday, 2008, April 18 | National Assembly |
| VietNam | Friday, 2008, March 14 | Wednesday, 2008, March 19 | Minister of Foreign Affairs |
