Timor-Leste has issued a press statement welcoming the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on its application for ASEAN Membership and looking forward to working with the incoming Chairmanship, the Republic of Indonesia.

“We are delighted to collaborate and work with ASEAN Coordinating Council and the ASEAN Secretariat towards preparation of the Roadmap and for Timor-Leste’s full membership including the milestones identified in the reports of the Fact-Finding Missions,” read the statement dated Nov. 11.

Timor-Leste requested the ASEAN Member States to grant full membership to Timor-Leste in 2023 following eleven years of preparation and the adoption of the Roadmap and report to the 42nd ASEAN Summit.

“We acknowledge and thank the continuous assistance and full support from ASEAN Member States, especially to the Kingdom of Cambodia for the unwavering support and our appreciation to external partners for providing capacity building assistance,” the statement concluded.

Earlier on the same day, the ASEAN Leaders agreed in-principle to admit Timor-Leste to be the 11th member of ASEAN, grant an observer status to the country and allow its participation in all ASEAN Meetings including at the Summit plenaries.

An objective criteria-based Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s full membership including based on the milestones identified in the reports of the Fact-Finding Missions conducted by the three ASEAN Community pillars will be formalised, and the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) was tasked to formulate the Roadmap and report to the 42nd ASEAN Summit for adoption.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press