ASEAN Foreign Ministers to Celebrate the Entry into Force of the ASEAN Charter at the ASEAN Secretariat

ASEAN Secretariat, 9 December 2008

ASEAN Foreign Ministers will gather at the ASEAN Secretariat on 15 December 2008 to celebrate the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter.  

The celebration is to mark a historic occasion for ASEAN as the Charter comes into force on that day. This will be followed by a special meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers who will discuss the re-scheduling of the 14th ASEAN Summit and other relevant matters.

Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, said, “15 December 2008 will be a momentous day for our community, an occasion for joyous celebration for all peoples of ASEAN. The entry into force of the Charter is a historic milestone for the organisation, repositioning ASEAN to better meet the challenges of the 21st century.”

“Having the celebration at the ASEAN Secretariat, the headquarters of ASEAN, adds to the symbolism of the occasion. I thank the ASEAN Foreign Ministers for agreeing to change their schedule on such short notice to grace this event.”