PHETCHABURI, Feb 28 (TNA) - Foreign ministers from the 10 member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) approved their first draft on establishing an ASEAN human rights body, a senior Thai official said Saturday.
Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Thai ambassador to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, who chairs the drafting committee for the ASEAN human rights body, said it demonstrates how ASEAN attaches importance to defending human rights.
He said ASEAN should have a declaration focusing on human rights and that the bloc should join international organisations involving human rights.
Approval of the first draft was made on the second day of the three-day ASEAN summit, which ends Sunday.
The final draft for an ASEAN human rights body will be submitted to the foreign ministers annual meeting for approval later this year, and should be ready by the next summit in Thailand late this year.
It is expected that the body will be established before the year end, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said earlier.
ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Critics have expressed doubt over the effectiveness of the body and question how seriously human rights problems would be tackled by ASEAN countries as the long-standing tradition of non-interference in the internal affairs of other ASEAN members continues to exist.
However, Mr. Sihasak said investigative powers for the proposed human rights body should not be ruled out. (TNA)
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