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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
By Douglas Bakshian
Manila
05 December 2006
Terrorism, free trade and North Korea are just a few of the issues expected to come up at the summit of the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Cebu, in the Philippines, which starts December 10. As Douglas Bakshian in Manila reports, the ASEAN leaders also must consider a new more formal structure for the organization.
US President George W. Bush, fourth from left, poses with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders on sidelines of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Hanoi
The war on terror is a sensitive issue in Southeast Asia, where the regional Islamic terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah is blamed for a series of deadly bombings. Members of the group are believed to be in the Philippines.
At this year's summit of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations in the Philippines, the ASEAN leaders are expected to announce either a declaration on counterterrorism or a more legally binding1 convention.
The plan would allow the 10 ASEAN countries to exchange information to better track suspected terrorists.
Medardo Abad Jr., of the ASEAN secretariat, says the proposed Convention on Counter-Terrorism is a major step forward.
"As drafted, the A.C.C.T. (ASEAN Convention on Counter Terrorism) would make it an obligation for member countries to extend mutual2 legal assistance in criminal matters," he explained, " including extradition3 or prosecution4 of perpetrators of terrorist acts. As an instrument of judicial5 and criminal law, it will identify criminal acts of terrorism in accordance with U.N. conventions and protocols6 relating to terrorism."
Another big item at the summit is the framework for an ASEAN charter, which would give the organization a stronger legal basis and better allow it to enforce its agreements. This is an important internal change for the group, and would allow it to punish members who do not follow the rules.
"At the moment, when we do not have a charter, we come up with a lot of these declarations, agreements, conventions and so on. But it is difficult to enforce these documents because we are not a rules-based organization," said Luis Cruz, who oversees7 ASEAN issues in the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs. "But once we are rules-based then it would be easier to enforce it because there would be sanctions if you do not measure up to the agreement."
In its early years, ASEAN had only six members and ran on a consensus8 basis, with all members agreeing on proposals. But the group is now in its 39th year, with 10 members of widely different levels of wealth and development, so it requires more formal organization.
The charter framework will be offered by a group of former senior government officials, the Eminent9 Persons Group. If the outline is finalized10, member states could agree on it by the end of next year.
The ASEAN leaders at the summit also are expected to endorse11 a plan to speed up regional integration12 and create a common market by 2015, instead of 2020, as originally planned. This would allow the free flow of goods, services and investment across the region so it can better compete in the global economy.
Ramon Kabigting, of the Philippine Bureau of International Trade Relations, says this is crucial for ASEAN to profit from globalization, rather than be pushed aside by it.
"It is a phenomenon called globalization. It affects all of us," he said. "And it just depends on how well we play the game so that we can derive13 from it the greatest possible benefits for our citizenry. And ASEAN's free-trade area, AFTA is one such mechanism14 to help us achieve this goal of navigating15 through globalization."
Another headline issue to come up at the summit is North Korea's nuclear program.
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo16 (file photo)
ASEAN wants the resumption of the six-party talks (Japan, China, South Korea, the United States, Russian and North Korea) on ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. President Gloria Arroyo has offered to hold the talks in the Philippines.
Other sensitive issues in the region include the military takeover in Thailand and human rights violations17 in Burma. ASEAN is under pressure from such key trading partners as the United States and European Union to push Burma's military government to allow democratic reforms.
These are not on the agenda but officials say they could be taken up in the summit retreat, in which leaders can informally discuss any issue they wish. Officials say the process of taking up sensitive subjects at the retreat avoids embarrassing ASEAN members by confronting them in public.
ASEAN was established in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei joined in 1984 and the remaining four members, Vietnam, Laos, Burma and Cambodia joined in the 1990's.
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binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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extradition
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| n.引渡（逃犯） | |
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prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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judicial
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| adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的 | |
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protocols
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| n.礼仪( protocol的名词复数 )；（外交条约的）草案；（数据传递的）协议；科学实验报告（或计划） | |
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oversees
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| v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 ) | |
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consensus
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| n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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finalized
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| vt.完成（finalize的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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endorse
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| vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意 | |
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integration
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| n.一体化，联合，结合 | |
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derive
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| v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自 | |
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mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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navigating
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| v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的现在分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃 | |
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arroyo
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| n.干涸的河床，小河 | |
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violations
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| 违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸 | |
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