"The plan reflects our vision that, in due course of time, Timor Leste will become a member of Asean."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Timor Leste`s membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will not have a negative impact on the organization, the country`s foreign affairs minister, Zacarias Albano da Costa, said.

The minister was responding to concern voiced by certain quarters that if Timor Leste became a member of Asean it would not be able to cover the developmental gap it had with other Asean member countries.

"We are developing very fast. I admit that there are still problems and a developmental gap between us and some Asean countries but I believe that we will not be a burden to Asean," Da Costa said here Friday after meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.

Da Costa said Timor Leste`s national resources would sustain his country`s economy and he was sure that its membership in Asean would make Timor Leste`s development even stronger in the future.

Meanwhile, Minister Marty Natalegawa said Asean had faced the problem of developmental gaps among its member countries before, namely at the time when Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar joined the regional grouping.

"I know some believe Timor Leste`s entry into Asean may have a negative impact on our community building efforts. But Indonesia doesn`t believe that. On the contrary, having Timor Leste within Asean will have a good effect on the country while the benefit for the organization would be the fact that with Timor Leste`s admission, the grouping will really represent all nations in Southeast Asia," Marty said.

During the Friday meeting, Da Costa submitted Timor Leste`s official application for Asean membership to Minister Marty Natalegawa representing the Asean chair.

Earlier, presidential spokesman for foreign affairs Tengku Faizasyah said in its support for Timor Leste`s bid for Asean membership, Indonesia had taken several steps to help Timor Leste join Asean, among other things, a plan to establish an Asean secretariat in the neighboring country.

"The plan reflects our vision that, in due course of time, Timor Leste will become a member of Asean. The infrastructure has been set up and hopefully Timor Leste`s membership in Asean can be realized soon," he said.
(Uu.A051/HAJM/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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