DEPARTMENT
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS P
R E S S R E L E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph
2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines
Tel. No. 834-4000
SFA-AGR-875-05
09 December 2005
ROMULO PUSHES FOR ASEAN CHARTER
9 December 2005, Kuala Lumpur
– Meeting with his counterparts from ASEAN, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto
G. Romulo reiterated the support of thePhilippines for the adoption of
the ASEAN Charter.
“As we move towards greater
and wider community building beyond ASEAN, and as issues become more complex
and interrelations more complicated, it is time to open the door to creating
the binding norms that will define and govern our collective actions,”
the Secretary said in his statement during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers
Meeting this morning.
The Secretary said that such
a Charter will provide ASEAN with “legal personality, create a mechanism
for settling differences, and a legal basis to enforce our agreements.”
He added “The ASEAN Charter will enable ASEAN to have more intense and
involved relations with states and other international organizations.”
Several ASEAN Ministers also
echoed these sentiments. Indonesia agreed that the ASEAN Charter
would serve to strengthen ASEAN’s ties with other Countries. Thailand,
on its part, said that the ASEAN Charter will provide the solid foundation
for building an ASEAN Community.
Secretary Romulo said that
the Philippines will be an active participant in the Eminent Persons Group
to be established during the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
“I believe that the EPG should
be given all the support they need to fulfill their mandate, so that their
final recommendations could be given to the Leaders by the next Summit,”
the Secretary said. END