Phnom Penh, 9 November 2011
ASEAN has made significant achievements, but the regional grouping must intensify cooperation on law and legal matters to jointly address the legal challenges to ensure the success of integration.
The remark from the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was made at the opening of the 8th ASEAN Law Ministers Meeting (ALAWMM) here last Friday, 4 November.
The Prime Minister commended the achievements and evolution of ASLOM and ALAWMM in the area of law and legal cooperation since their inception over three decades ago..
He said that since the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter, law and legal matters are now more important than ever as ASEAN will need to put in place various rules and regulation as well as institutional frameworks to facilitate the realisation of ASEAN objectives in establishing the ASEAN Community by 2015.
All ASEAN Law Ministers in Phnom Penh supported the statement by Cambodian Leader and expressed their hope that ALAWMM should continue to play its important role and contribute to the success of the ASEAN community building process. They said that ASEAN must have full legal and institutional framework that is conformity to the ASEAN Charter.
In their meeting at the capital city of Cambodia, the ASEAN Law Ministers produced a Joint Communiqué and a Report for their future work and programmes.
They commended the work on updating the ASEAN Government Law Directory, the ASEAN Law Information Authority (ALIA), and the implementation of various ASEAN Government Law Officials Programmes and Exchange of Study Visits which significantly contributed to ASEAN Member States’ efforts in promoting awareness and understanding of each other’s legal system.
Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community & Corporate Affairs Bagas Hapsoro stressed the growing importance of rule of law and legal matters in ASEAN institutional development.
“ASEAN has exerted every effort to put in place various institutional frameworks, rules and procedures in order to support the integration process and ensure the effective implementation of various aspects in the ASEAN Charter such as legal personality and privileges and immunities of ASEAN, ASEAN dispute settlement mechanisms,” he said.
He further underlined the ASEAN Member States’ commitments and efforts, which was able to conclude two important legal instruments, namely, the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of ASEAN and the Protocol to the ASEAN Charter on the Dispute Settlement Mechanisms.
The ALAWMM Meeting in Phnom Penh noted with satisfaction the progress made by ASLOM in carrying out its work in the implementation of various legal cooperation programmes and activities agreed upon at previous ALAWMMs and ASLOMs.
In Phnom Penh, it was also observed that with the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter, every effort is being made to transform ASEAN into a rules-based organisation with appropriate legal and institutional frameworks and mechanisms to effectively support and facilitate the realisation of an ASEAN Community by 2015. The Ministers shared the view that these attempts will require more support and involvement of ASLOM and ALAWMM.
The Ministers took note of a proposed study on the possible establishment of an ASEAN common visa for non-ASEAN nationals, which was being considered by all relevant ASEAN Ministerial Sectoral Bodies. The Ministers agreed to ASLOM’s participation in a joint working group, if established by the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting, to prepare comprehensive study on ASEAN Common Visa.
“All these challenges, and I am sure there will be more, will surely put ASEAN under the microscope, and along with it, the ASEAN Secretariat,” said Mr Hapsoro. “It is my hope that by 2015, the ASEAN Secretariat will be the nerve centre of a strong and confident ASEAN Community that is globally respected for acting in full compliance with its Charter and in the best interests of its people.”
“For these reasons, the ASEAN Secretariat expressed its undertaking and its readiness to render all possible support and assistance” said Bagas. ASEC supported ASLOM and ALAWMM in undertaking cross cutting sectoral work, including the proposed joint study on the single visa as initiated by the ASEN Foreign Ministers.
The Ministers thanked Lao PDR for offering to host the 15th ASLOM in 2013 and Indonesia for offering to host the 16th ASLOM and the 9th ALAWMM in 2014.
