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 Countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed to establish an ASEAN human rights body as they signed the ASEAN Charter here on Tuesday.

    "In conformity with the purpose and principles of the ASEAN Charter relating to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, ASEAN shall establish an ASEAN human rights body," the Charter says in the chapter about the organizations' organs.

    Although the body does not have an official name yet, the Charter stipulates that it will operate in accordance with the terms of reference to be determined by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting.

    As for other issues of ASEAN's organs, the Charter stipulates that the ASEAN Summit is the supreme policy-making body of ASEAN, which was established in 1967 and now groups Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

    The ASEAN Summit Meetings will be held twice annually hosted by the member state holding the grouping's chairmanship, the Charter says.

    The Secretary-General of ASEAN, who will be the Chief Administrative Officer of the ASEAN, will be appointed by the ASEAN Summit for a non-renewable term of office of five years, selected from among nationals of the ASEAN member states based on alphabetical rotation, with due consideration to integrity, capability and professional experience, and gender equality, the Charter says.

    According to the Charter, ASEAN's organs include the ASEAN Coordinating Council, ASEAN Community Councils (the ASEAN Political-Security Community Council, ASEAN Economic Community Council, and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council), ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies.

    The ASEAN region has a population of about 500 million, a total area of 4.5 million square kilometers, a combined gross domestic product of almost 700 billion U.S. dollars, and a total trade of about 850 billion U.S. dollars.




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