By VOA News
24 July 2007
24 July 2007
 |
| Ong Keng Yong |
The head of ASEAN says a draft version of the group's first charter of standards – set to be released next week – will "pressure" military-ruled Burma to improve its human rights record.
Speaking with reporters in Singapore on Monday, Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong said the charter will stress "responsibility and obligation" of membership in the Association for South East Asian Nations.
Burma has long been a problem for the 10-nation group because of its poor human rights record and its detention of activists, including Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
A draft of the new charter will be presented to ASEAN members next week when they meet in the Philippines.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
Source: http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-07-24-voa25.cfm?renderforprint=1