However, these documents do not provide clear guidance on how the EU should play a
role in democracy building in the ASEAN region. Neither the Nuremberg Declaration
nor the Plan of Action specifically include democracy building on the agenda for
cooperation between ASEAN and the EU. They only promise to enhance political
and security cooperation by (1) enhancing dialogue between the EU and ASEAN; (2)
promoting ASEAN-EU cooperation in multilateral frameworks; (3) cooperating to
enhance global and regional security; (4) combating terrorism and other transnational
crimes; and (5) cooperating in the areas of disarmament, arms control and nonproliferation
of weapons of mass destruction.13 The indicative List of Activities for the
First Two Years of Implementation of the Plan of Action to Implement the Nuremberg
Declaration on an ASEAN-EU Enhanced Partnership does not include any specific
programme related to democracy building. Oddly enough, the programmes planned
for 2008–2009 mostly consist of seminars on regional security issues within the
framework of the ASEAN Regional Forum rather than the framework of ASEANEU
cooperation.14 A direct reference to the importance of cooperation on democracy
is found only in the Joint Co-Chairmen’s Statement from the 14th AEMM of January
2003, in which the need is recognized to promote ‘dialogue on issues of common
concerns, such as democracy, good governance, human rights, and the rule of law