General News

ASEAN goal: To be like EU

Summit to set warning system, blueprint for peace

CHA-AM, Thailand-Southeast Asian Nations are to endorse an early warning system to defuse conflicts that could derail their goal of becoming a European Union-like community by 2015, according to a confidential document obtained yesterday by The Associated Press.

The blueprint for peace in the highly diverse region where conflicts still erupt was to be adopted today at the climax of the 14th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar), the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Human rights

In another effort to move the region forward, ASEAN is finalizing a new human rights body to promote fundamental freedoms, although it will lack the power to punish violators such as military-ruled Burma.

A confidential draft document, which outlines the proposed powers of the future rights body, says ASEAN will"promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms."

But it falls short of key demands voiced by international human rights groups, which say the body will have limited effectiveness unless it can impose sanctions or expel countries that violate the rights of their own citizens.

The draft is the first to outline the bodyโ€™s proposed powers; a final one is expected in July.

ASEAN traditionally shies away from criticizing its members, although some leaders said that issues of democratic reform in Burma and human rights abuses were being discussed on the sidelines of the meetings.

Plans for leaders to meet with delegates from civil society and nongovernmental organizations yesterday suffered a setback when Cambodia and Burma refused to recognize groups representing their countries.

Additional Information

Country: Thailand
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Source: AP, Reuters
When: 02/3/2009

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