Timor Leste has officially applied to become the 11 th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN).
Timor Leste Foreign Minister Zacarias da Costa on March 4 presented the submission to his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa, whose country currently chairs the bloc.
Geographically, Timor Leste belongs to Southeast Asia and Indonesia fully supports the country joining the association, Minister Natalegawa told a press briefing after receiving the letter.
Noting that joining the ASEAN will have positive impacts on the Timor Leste economy, Minister Netalegawa said he hoped the country can be admitted by 2015.
At the press briefing, Minister Da Costa said his country has had double-digit economic growth in recent years, affirming that Timor Leste will not be a burden to ASEAN.
In his opinion, with the linkage to ASEAN, the country’s economy will grow stronger.
A former Portuguese colony, Timor Leste declared its independence in 1975 but was annexed by Indonesia later that year.
It finally became independent in 2002 after two and half years under UN administration following a popular vote to split from Indonesia in 1999.
ASEAN currently groups Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore , Thailand and Vietnam. /.
Timor Leste Foreign Minister Zacarias da Costa on March 4 presented the submission to his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa, whose country currently chairs the bloc.
Geographically, Timor Leste belongs to Southeast Asia and Indonesia fully supports the country joining the association, Minister Natalegawa told a press briefing after receiving the letter.
Noting that joining the ASEAN will have positive impacts on the Timor Leste economy, Minister Netalegawa said he hoped the country can be admitted by 2015.
At the press briefing, Minister Da Costa said his country has had double-digit economic growth in recent years, affirming that Timor Leste will not be a burden to ASEAN.
In his opinion, with the linkage to ASEAN, the country’s economy will grow stronger.
A former Portuguese colony, Timor Leste declared its independence in 1975 but was annexed by Indonesia later that year.
It finally became independent in 2002 after two and half years under UN administration following a popular vote to split from Indonesia in 1999.
ASEAN currently groups Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore , Thailand and Vietnam. /.
