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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Asean agrees on landmark charter | Asean agrees on landmark charter |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Ministers from South-East Asian countries have reached agreement on a landmark draft charter. | Ministers from South-East Asian countries have reached agreement on a landmark draft charter. |
| The document gives the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) a set of binding rules for the first time in the bloc's 40-year existence. | The document gives the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) a set of binding rules for the first time in the bloc's 40-year existence. |
| The agreement comes after nearly two years of deliberations among members. | The agreement comes after nearly two years of deliberations among members. |
| It includes a contentious provision to set up a commission monitoring human rights in the region - despite strong misgivings from some Asean countries. | It includes a contentious provision to set up a commission monitoring human rights in the region - despite strong misgivings from some Asean countries. |
| Credibility boost | Credibility boost |
| With governments in the region running the gamut from fully-fledged democracies to a military dictatorship, finding consensus on a human rights commission was always going to be a tough sell. | With governments in the region running the gamut from fully-fledged democracies to a military dictatorship, finding consensus on a human rights commission was always going to be a tough sell. |
| Burma (Myanmar) - a country which has been heavily criticised for rights abuses in the past - had strongly opposed the commission right up to Monday's ministerial meeting in Manila. | Burma (Myanmar) - a country which has been heavily criticised for rights abuses in the past - had strongly opposed the commission right up to Monday's ministerial meeting in Manila. |
| It eventually gave grudging 11th-hour approval in the face of clamour from other members. | It eventually gave grudging 11th-hour approval in the face of clamour from other members. |
| Diplomatic sources said Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam also had misgivings - fearing human rights probes could result in violations of the group's strict policy of non-interference in each others' affairs. | Diplomatic sources said Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam also had misgivings - fearing human rights probes could result in violations of the group's strict policy of non-interference in each others' affairs. |
| However the charter is seen as crucial for giving Asean - previously regarded as a mere talk shop - credibility and bargaining power on the world stage. | However the charter is seen as crucial for giving Asean - previously regarded as a mere talk shop - credibility and bargaining power on the world stage. |
| It will also help smooth the way for the group's aim of full economic integration. | |
| The next step for the bloc - which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - is to formally adopt the landmark charter at its summit in November. | The next step for the bloc - which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - is to formally adopt the landmark charter at its summit in November. |