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The charter is due to be signed at a summit later today by the bloc's 10 member states, including Burma.
It comes as Susan Schwab, the most senior US trade official, warned that ASEAN's credibility was at stake over its handling of the crisis in Burma.
ASEAN has refused to suspend Burma over the regime's suppression of protests.
Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says ASEAN has a limited influence on Burma.
"There are some countries that want us - ASEAN - to take a lead role, do this and do that and strike strident poses," he said.
"But we have to ask ourselves first, will this work? Secondly, what influence do you have? And the answer is our influence is limited."
Protests
A handful of foreign students demonstrated against Burma's ruling junta on the fringes of the summit, drawing close police attention as they tested Singapore's tough protest laws.
Nine activists marched up the city-state's glittering Orchard Road shopping strip in groups of three, avoiding arrest under strict rules that say any outdoor gathering of five or more people requires a police permit.
Most carried candles and wore red t-shirts with the slogan "We pursue peace, justice and democracy for Burma".
"We wanted to do something in some small way to show that the world hasn't forgotten," Pia Muzaffar, a 22-year-old British student at the National University of Singapore, said.
The three groups were outnumbered by about 35 police spread around the area, some of whom recorded the proceedings on video. The demonstrators were warned against heading up the road leading to the Shangri-La.
The protesters later dispersed without incident.
EU sanctions
Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers have formally adopted fresh sanctions against the military regime, while pressing for "an inclusive process of national reconciliation".
The new sanctions, adopted by foreign ministers who met in Brussels, included an embargo on the import of timber, gems and metals from Burma.
The measures also extended the list of Burmese leaders and their relatives subject to a travel ban and assets freeze "in view of the seriousness of the current situation in the country," the ministers said in a statement.
The ministers urged the regime to "seize this opportunity to enter into a meaningful dialogue leading to stability, prosperity and democracy in Myanmar (Burma)".
In particular the EU called for all restrictions on detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi "to be lifted so that she can play a full part in the process of national reconciliation". © 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Posted November 19th, 2007 by Dinka
