ASEAN SUMMIT PREPARATION: ASEAN CHARTER

UNCLAS BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 000609

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SENV ASEAN XE BX
SUBJECT: ASEAN SUMMIT PREPARATION: ASEAN CHARTER
REPORT, HEART OF BORNEO DECLARATION BEING FINALIZED

REF: MANILA 4855


1. (U) The ASEAN Eminent Persons Group (EPG) completed its report
on recommendations for an ASEAN Charter during its November 28-29
meeting in Brunei. The report will be presented to ASEAN leaders at
their December 11 summit in Cebu (reftel),in the expectation that
they will appoint a drafting group to write an ASEAN "constitution"
based on the EPG report. The EPG members who met in Brunei were
former Malaysian Deputy PM Tan Sri Musa Hitam, former Philippines
President Fidel Ramos, Singapore Deputy PM S. Jayakumar, former
Indonesian ForMin Ali Alatas, former Lao Deputy Minister of Commerce
Khampan Simmalavong, Brunei ForMin II Dato Lim Jock Seng, former
Vietnamese Deputy PM Nguyen Manh Cam, Than Nyun from Burma, Aun Porn
Moniroth from Cambodia, and Sihasak Puangketkaew from Thailand
(Thailand's regular representative on the EPG, former Deputy PM
Kasemsamsorn Kasemsri, was unable to attend).


2. (SBU) The EPG did not publicize its conclusions or provide any
public hint about its recommendations regarding contentious
proposals such as establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights Commission
or mechanisms for disciplining members who violate ASEAN resolutions
(read: Burma). In fact, the EPG went to some pains to keep its
deliberations confidential. All its sessions were held within the
Empire Hotel resort complex, and the Chiefs of ASEAN Diplomatic
Missions resident in Brunei were neither invited to the working
sessions nor briefed on the EPG's conclusions. There was no press
coverage other than a cursory report on the EPG's courtesy call on
the Sultan. It appears, however, that this final preparatory
meeting of the EPG was non-contentious; the group finished off its
work earlier than expected, leaving its members a free afternoon
which many, in traditional ASEAN fashion, used to play a round of
golf on the Empire Hotel's course.


3. (SBU) Separately, Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia appear to be
nearly finished with a Leaders Statement establishing the "Heart of
Borneo" (HOB) trans-national conservation area, to be issued jointly
by their respective leaders on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit.
Brunei's Deputy Minister of Industry and Productive Resources Dato
Hamdillah told Ambassador that a final draft of the declaration has
been completed and is undergoing a last review in capitals.
Ambassador told Hamdillah that the USG strongly supported the HOB
initiative and urged him to do everything he could to ensure the
Leaders Statement was issued at Cebu. Hamdillah answered that
"everything was on track," and said he was optimistic that the final
draft would be approved in time for the leaders to launch the HOB at
the forthcoming Summit.


SKODON