Thread: Backgrounder: Documents to be adopted or signed during 15th ASEAN Summit

Backgrounder: Documents to be adopted or signed during 15th ASEAN Summit
Editor: Wang Guanqun

HUA HIN, Thailand, Oct.22 (Xinhua) -- The 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related summits will beheld here between Oct. 23 and 25. Over 15 documents will be adopted, issued or signed by the leaders, foreign ministers and economic ministers who participate in the summits.

Key documents to be adopted by ASEAN leaders include Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on the Inauguration of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on Strengthening Cooperation on Education to Achieve an ASEAN Caring and Sharing Community, Draft ASEAN Joint Statement on Climate Change, and ASEAN Leaders' Statement on ASEAN Connectivity.

The AICHR emphasizes the commitment of ASEAN Member States in the promotion and protection of human rights in the region. The declaration contains several provisions to strengthen the AICHR, for instance, by reviewing its mandate and functions every five years, and by encouraging contribution of all stakeholders to the promotion and protection of human rights in ASEAN.

As for the declaration concerning education cooperation, it recognizes the importance of the education sector in contributing to the establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015, and identifies relevant guidelines and measures.

The draft statement on climate change reflects a unified response of ASEAN member states in addressing the problem of climate change. It also outlines ASEAN's position and expectations in advance of the 15th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 5th session of the Conference of Parties serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.

Aside from the above-mentioned documents, the Cha-am Hua Hin Statement on ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation on Food Security and Bio-Energy Development and Cha-am Hua Hin Statement on East Asia Summit (EAS) Disaster Management will be issued by the participating leaders respectively at 12th ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the fourth East Asia Summit.

The statement concerning food security and bio-energy development emphasizes the commitment of the ten ASEAN member states and China, Japan and the republic of Korea in promoting their cooperation to ensure food and energy security for people in the region.

The statement concerning EAS Disaster Management identifies various measures that the sixteen countries participating in the East Asia Summit will implement in addressing threats posed by natural disasters. Such measures include the enhancement of each country's disaster management capacity.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministers who participate in the summits will also signed the Agreement on Privilege and Immunities of ASEAN, and the Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing the ASEAN-China Centre.
In addition, the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and China on Cooperation in the Field of Intellectual Property, and the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and China on Strengthening Cooperation in the Field of Standards, Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment were also scheduled to be signed by the participating economic ministers.

news.xinhuanet.com

Originally Posted by Mid

Inauguration of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR)

This will make for an exciting read. Can be found in the Fantasy section of your local library.

WHOOPS!!!
Pictures of the day: 22 October 2009 - Telegraph

^Somebody is going to be in deep doo doo. No red shirts in sight. Wonder who will be blamed for this?

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Mid

Inauguration of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR)

This will make for an exciting read. Can be found in the Fantasy section of your local library.

Just going through the warm and fuzzy motions, Nort. Why even bother retaining a regional body if it exist purely to enrich the ruling elites and perpetuate the staus quo.....nothing ever comes to practice regarding these bureaucratic enriched criminal organisations.

Originally Posted by Rural Surin

Why even bother retaining a regional body

Good question.

Originally Posted by Rural Surin

it exist purely to enrich the ruling elites and perpetuate the staus quo

Better answer.

The Abhisit Vejjajiva government has claimed that the AICHR has been a major achievement if its term as ASEAN chair. It is now looking more like a failure.

New: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, governments gag civil society representatives « Political Prisoners in Thailand

Amnesty takes aim at ASEAN rights body
Sebastian Strangio
Thursday, 01 April 2010

RIGHTS group Amnesty International has expressed its “disappointment” that the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) has reportedly refused to look into complaints of human rights abuses in the region, as its inaugural meetings began in Jakarta this week.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the group said without fulfilling its mandate to promote and protect human rights among the 10-member ASEAN bloc, the commission “risks reducing itself to an irrelevant and futile exercise in public relations”.

“Amnesty International calls upon the commission to reverse its decision and apply its mandate, which includes protection of human rights, in line with international law and standards,” the statement said.

The group said a complaint filed by Noemi E Parcon, the widow of one of the 32 Filipino journalists killed in Ampatuan, Philippines, in November 2009, requesting help for victims’ families to “seek justice”, was rejected by an AICHR commissioner, who was cited as saying the body would focus on “thematic” reports of rights abuses, but not individual complaints.

“The fact that the commission decided, in its very first official meeting, that it cannot help victims of the deadliest single attack on journalists in history to seek redress clearly does not bode well for its future,” Amnesty International said.

Om Yentieng, chairman of the government-run Cambodian Human Rights Committee, said Wednesday that he did not have time to speak to the press.

The AICHR was launched in October 2009 in accordance with Article 14 of the ASEAN Charter. This week’s meetings, which are closed to the public, are scheduled to finish today.

phnompenhpost.com