"For a new member, ASEAN has 10 member countries, we heard that Timor Leste is requesting to join, which we openly support," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty NatalegawaJakarta (ANTARA News) - Timor Leste, used to be known as East Timor, has recently expressed interest in joining ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) as its eleventh member country by 2012.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa at the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) Retreat held in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, said that Indonesia openly supported Timor Leste`s proposal to join ASEAN, by submitting an official admission letter and meet the requirements.
"For a new member, ASEAN has 10 member countries, we heard that Timor Leste is requesting to join, which we openly support," Marty Natalegawa said in the event in January 15-17, 2011, attended by eight ASEAN Foreign Ministers and two undersecretaries from Vietnam and the Philippines representing their countries.
Marty has yet to confirm as to when Timor Leste will become ASEAN`s 11th member, because the relatively young country had yet to submit an official admission letter.
"Earlier, Timor Leste has openly expressed intention to join ASEAN, and also has initiated the process within this year (2011). Its membership would not be approved too soon, as it also realized the phases to become an ASEAN member," Marty said.
Indonesia has also been assisting Timor Leste`s official capacity building by assisting its human and institutional resources in the past four years, Indonesian ambassador to ASEAN, Ngurah Swajaya, said.
Under the ASEAN rules on admission of new members, if a country has submitted an official admission letter, an assessment phase and meeting among the ASEAN members including an exploratory phase.
"When the initial phase is passed , there will be a consensus to determine if the requesting country is welcomed, not to mention the need of every ASEAN member to approve the new membership," Ngurah said.
As for the initial process, Timor Leste has also prepared itself to host the ASEAN Regional Forum expected to be held in the beginning of this year.
According to ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan, Timor Leste has expressed its readiness by the year 2012, but it has not yet been a formal agenda for the ASEAN foreign ministers` consideration.
"I don`t know when that is going to happen, but few ministers have been visiting Dili (the country`s capital), and we know that Indonesia has been helpful in the preparation of East Timor (Timor Leste) to engage more actively in ASEAN," he said.
Wether it is going to be a formal admission for a new member to increasingly engage in ASEAN more in barrier sectors that remains to be decided by the foreign ministers.
Surin said that the ASEAN foreign Ministers have taken a note on Timor Leste`s desire by 2012 as their target date, and it will be a collective decision of the ASEAN member states.
"We certainly welcome any interest in ASEAN is a sure confidence, in the way of which ASEAN has been cooperating and has achieved our integration and the confidence that we have won from the international community," Surin said.
The official admission letter is now being studied, even on Timor Leste`s part, it`s their own desire, it is good for them to have a target for themselves, but on the side of ASEAN is has not yet been a formal agenda.
Now, the question is, when will ASEAN approve Timor Leste`s intention to be its eleventh member after Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam? (*)
Reporter: Ageng Wibowo
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
