Burma ratifies Asean charter
Source: 23-JUL-2008 Intellasia | Xinhua
Jul 23, 2008 - 7:00:00 AM Burma's ratification of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Charter was formalised here at a ceremony Monday afternoon.

Two policemen stand under rows of flags from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations grouping, the European Union, China, Russia and the US at the ASEAN Regional Forum in Singapore. Myanmar's junta has ratified a new ASEAN charter binding it to ideals of democracy and human rights, as ministers urged the regime to release political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi. (AFP/Roslan Rahman)

In the ceremony for the deposit of the instrument of ratification for the Asean Charter by Burma, Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of the Asean, said he was confident the Charter will be fully ratified by all 10 Asean members at the end of the year.

Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia have not ratified the Charter. Some members of the Philippine senate have threatened to block the ratification of the Charter unless Burma releases opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Asean's members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Charter, expected to come into force by next year, aims to transform the Asean from a loose association into a rules-based organisation which will encourage members to take agreements and commitments seriously.

Burma is the 7th member of the Asean to ratify the Charter.

Myanmar's Foreign Minister Nyan Win looks at a document before ASEAN foreign ministerial meeting on the ASEAN human rights body in Singapore, on Monday, July 21, 2008. Myanmar's military junta said Monday it would abide by a regional charter calling for a human rights body, a day after being slammed by its neighbours for extending opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's detention. (AP Photo/Charles Pertwee, Pool)

In a Monday address to Asean foreign ministers, Singapore's prime minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Asean has decided to press on with the Asean Charter's implementation without waiting for all ten members to ratify.

Lee said the timely ratification and implementation of the Charter will itself be a signal of Asean's resolve.

"The internal processes of member countries are different and some will be more difficult than others. However, the pace of the Asean integration should not be set by its slowest members, or else all will be held back by the problems of a few", Lee said as Asean Chair.