Timor Leste has taken one step closer to become a member of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Indonesian Foreign
Minister Marty Natalegawa on April 27.
According to
the minister, at the 22nd ASEAN Summit in Brunei’s Bandar Seri
Begawan, ASEAN leaders agreed to Timor Leste’s participation in the
association’s next summit this October, at the proposal of Indonesian
President Susilo Banbang Yudhoyono.
The approval of Timor Leste’s bid to play a greater role in ASEAN was included in the summit Chairman’s statement.
ASEAN leaders spoke highly of the progress in discussions by the ASEAN
Coordinating Council (ACC) and the ACC Working Group (ACCWG) on all
relevant aspects related to the application by Timor Leste as well as
its possible implication on ASEAN. They agreed to explore the
possibility of Timor Leste’s participation in ASEAN activities to help
the country boost its capacity building, the statement read.-VNA