SBY wants ASEAN Charter ratified

Tue, 09/23/2008 10:01 AM  |  National

JAKARTA: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Monday he hoped Indonesia would soon ratify the much-awaited ASEAN Charter, despite an ongoing debate among legislators over the issue.

"I expect the charter will be ratified before the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok this December, so that as a founding member of the group, we can implement the new charter," he told a National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) forum at the State Palace in Jakarta.

The state institute recommended Indonesia immediately ratify the charter to affirm the country's sovereignty.

In response, Yudhoyono said Lemhannas should communicate the recommendation to the House of Representatives, which is likely to delay the ratification due to unsettled divisions among legislators over several provisions in the charter.

Of the 10 ASEAN members, only Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines have yet to ratify the charter. --JP

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