AW：《東協憲章》生效，緩不得！

12月15日不只是泰國選出新總理的日子，也是東協的大日子。因為根據《東協憲章》第47條規定，憲章在全體會員國批准過後一個月將正式生效。而今天，就是泰國批准後滿一個月的大日子。

儘管今年度的東協高峰會因為泰國政局而延期到明年，但這並不影響東協合作的既定里程碑。誠如泰國籍的秘書長Surin所言：

In spite of the political setback in Thailand – which is now the ASEAN Chair country, I believe ASEAN will not and cannot be slowed down. Regional cooperation and economic integration to build the ASEAN Community will actually shift into higher gear after the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter today.

所以，東協還是在既定行程中正式慶祝這份得來不易的憲章能生效運作。

印尼總統Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono對於憲章的生效發表了一些談話。這一席談話中提到了幾個重點，首先，他指出這部憲章並不會自我執行，重點還是在東協成員國如何看待這份法律文件，如何進一步藉著憲章的規範與原則來擴展區域合作。再者，距離東協2015年的願景還剩下不到七年的時間，正因為時間緊迫，東協無法等到明年高峰會才繼續後續合作工作，因此各國才同意在原本預定要辦理高峰會的同一時間，宣示東協憲章的正式生效，以利後續合作的進行：

The entry into force of the Charter opens a new era for ASEAN. In that chapter, we are called upon to work harder and in greater concert than we have ever done. For a Charter will serve its purpose if, and only if, member states faithfully implement in letter and in spirit all its provisions and stipulations.

No Charter implements itself. It is up to all of us to fully utilize the Charter, to let it guide our integration and community building and, in general, to make it part of our lives. These we must do at once. There is no time to lose.

We therefore need to convene a meeting of ASEAN leaders as soon as possible. And I am pleased to know that the Summit will be held in Thailand by end of February at the latest. They must address the serious challenges confronting the region and the rest of the world in the light of the provisions of the Charter. And they must seize the opportunity to use the provisions of the Charter to accelerate regional integration leading to the establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015.

環顧現今東南亞區域情勢，目前確實有太多太多的工作等著東協進行。這些工作不單單是秘書處的責任，更是每個成員國必須主動承擔的義務。對東協國家來說，如果區域共同體的合作計劃是玩真的，那麼這份憲章，絕對不會只是薄薄的幾頁文件，而將會是各國人民對國家的期待、對東協的期盼、以及對東南亞未來的寄望，它的厚重將超乎你我的想像。