Ong Keng Yong

The head of ASEAN says a draft version of the group's first charter of standards - set to be released next week - will "pressure" military-ruled Burma to improve its human rights record.

Speaking with reporters in Singapore on Monday, Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong said the charter will stress "responsibility and obligation" of membership in the Association for South East Asian Nations.

Burma has long been a problem for the 10-nation group because of its poor human rights record and its detention of activists, including Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

A draft of the new charter will be presented to ASEAN members next week when they meet in the Philippines.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.