ID :
23297
Wed, 10/08/2008 - 20:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/23297
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HOUSE, GOVT SIGN BILL FOR RATIFICATION OF ASEAN CHARTER
Jakarta, Oct 8 (ANTARA) - The House of Representatives (DPR)'s Comission I and the government have signed a bill for the ratification of the ASEAN Charter after a month of discussions in a House special committee.
The signing was done at a meeting of the House special committee chaired by Marzuki Darusman, after spokesmen of all House factions present voiced agreement to ratify the charter.
In their comments on the bill, legislator Andreas Pareira of the Indonesian Democracy Party-Struggle (PDIP) faction and Ariani Agus of the National Mandate Party (PAN) faction touched on the planned formation of an ASEAN human rights body and ASEAN's decision-making mechanism by consensus.
Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayudha who also attended the meeting in his response to Pareira's comments said the ASEAN human rights body was meant to promote and protect human rights in the region.
Under the charter, ASEAN member countries violating commonly agreed rules would be liable to certain sanctions and ASEAN peoples' involvement in the association's programs and activities would be increased.
The minister also said when the bill was passed into law it would probably be the first time for foreign policy to be backed up by a law. He also said through the charter, ASEAN would become a legal entity.
The signed bill would be passed on to the House's Consultative Body (Bamus) which would also detemine the date of a House plenary session where the bill would finally be passed into law.
The bill was signed by representatives of eight of the House's 10 factions with the signatures of two absent factions to be given later. Law and Human Rights Minister Andi Matalatta, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu and Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayudha signed for the government.
The signing was done at a meeting of the House special committee chaired by Marzuki Darusman, after spokesmen of all House factions present voiced agreement to ratify the charter.
In their comments on the bill, legislator Andreas Pareira of the Indonesian Democracy Party-Struggle (PDIP) faction and Ariani Agus of the National Mandate Party (PAN) faction touched on the planned formation of an ASEAN human rights body and ASEAN's decision-making mechanism by consensus.
Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayudha who also attended the meeting in his response to Pareira's comments said the ASEAN human rights body was meant to promote and protect human rights in the region.
Under the charter, ASEAN member countries violating commonly agreed rules would be liable to certain sanctions and ASEAN peoples' involvement in the association's programs and activities would be increased.
The minister also said when the bill was passed into law it would probably be the first time for foreign policy to be backed up by a law. He also said through the charter, ASEAN would become a legal entity.
The signed bill would be passed on to the House's Consultative Body (Bamus) which would also detemine the date of a House plenary session where the bill would finally be passed into law.
The bill was signed by representatives of eight of the House's 10 factions with the signatures of two absent factions to be given later. Law and Human Rights Minister Andi Matalatta, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu and Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayudha signed for the government.
