SEREMBAN, Aug 16 — Timor-Leste’s permanent membership in Asean is now at the documentation stage, ahead of its official admission as a full member during the Asean Summit in October.
“There will be a ceremony to welcome Timor-Leste as a permanent member of Asean. Right now, it is only at the documentation stage,” Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan told reporters today.
“Most of Asean’s requirements have already been fulfilled by Timor-Leste. We decided that they should first be admitted as a permanent member, after which Asean will assist them in completing the remaining documentation process,” he said at an Umno event today.
Asean reaffirmed its commitment to admitting Timor-Leste as 11th member at the 47th Asean Summit in October, in line with a decision made at the 46th Summit.
In the Joint Communique issued following the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on July 9, ministers expressed their commitment to supporting Timor-Leste in expediting its early accession to key Asean economic agreements to facilitate its full integration into the regional bloc.
“We look forward to Timor-Leste fulfilling its roles and obligations as an incoming member state and its commitment to upholding Asean’s fundamental principles,” it read.
Timor-Leste, Southeast Asia’s youngest nation, applied for Asean membership in 2011, nine years after gaining independence on May 20, 2002.
Although the process has been lengthy and challenging, Dili has demonstrated strong commitment in meeting the bloc’s stringent membership criteria.
In February, Malaysia announced a contribution of US$200,000 (RM842,600) to the Asean Secretariat’s Timor-Leste Unit in Jakarta to expedite the membership.
Malaysia has also provided technical training under the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme, through which 319 Timor-Leste officials have been trained in various fields.
