CEBU, Philippines, Jan. 13 (Xubhua) -- The Eminent Persons Group (EPG) has endorsed 28 "bold and visionary" recommendations for the proposed charter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to reposition its economic competitiveness in a fast changing world environment, a news release issued at the press center said Saturday.

    The EPG, composed of elder statesmen and experts from 10 member states of ASEAN, is tasked to formulate a charter that will guide the regional bloc in promoting peace and stability, strengthening economic growth and democracy in the region in the generations to come. After the endorsement by ASEAN leaders, the blueprint of the ASEAN Charter, drafted by the group of "eminent persons", will be finalized by a high-level task force.

    ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

    This will be the first time that ASEAN will have a charter of its own 40 years after it was founded in Bangkok, Thailand.

    Under ASEAN's principles and objectives, the EPG recommended among others the following major proposals for the charter:

    -- Promotion of ASEAN's peace and stability through the active strengthening of democratic values, good governance, rejection of unconstitutional and undemocratic changes of government, respect of the rule of law, including international humanitarian law, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

    -- Promotion of ASEAN's prosperity and resilience through closer cooperation and integration, namely the ASEAN Economic Community, single market, greater economic linkages, regional connectivity and narrowing the development gap.

    -- Promotion of ASEAN's timely and effective responses to non-traditional and trans-boundary challenges and crises through mutual assistance or regional and international cooperation.

    -- Promotion of an ASEAN identity through greater awareness of ASEAN's cultural heritage, investment in learning, empowering the lives of the people and communities and engagement with civil society.

    -- Expressing the resolve to realize an ASEAN Community and ultimately an ASEAN Union.

    -- ASEAN leaders should meet more often to give greater political impetus to ASEAN's community-building. The ASEAN Summit should also be renamed the ASEAN Council with provisions for leaders to meet at least twice a year.

    - ASEAN should have the power to take measures of redress cases of serious breach of ASEAN's objectives, major principles, and commitments to be important agreements.