The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has set up a group to examine affairs related to Timor Leste’s application to become a member of the organisation, said the ASEAN Chief.

At a press conference on results of the 22nd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta early this week, ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh stressed that to become an ASEAN member, the young country must comply with the group’s obligations and conditions.

One of the main obligations was to ensure that Timor Leste could meet ASEAN’s requirement on the three main pillars, namely politics-security, economies and social-culture, Minh added.

Separated from Indonesia in 2002, Timor Leste filed an application to become a member of ASEAN in 2011.

At the 22nd ASEAN Summit in Brunei last week, the organisation’s leaders expressed their support for Timor Leste’s bid for ASEAN membership.-VNA