"I feel proud that in the past decade Indonesia and Timor Leste have worked hard together."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and its neighbour Timor Leste have a distinctive relationship in the realms of politics, history, culture, economy and trade.
Timor Leste gained its sovereignty in 2002 after a United Nations referendum, but the young country was riddled with economic problems.
With its present economic condition, it is not surprising that Timor Leste finds it important to build a stronger relationship with Indonesia, with hopes of becoming a member of ASEAN.
"In the past several years we made every effort to join ASEAN, but we had to meet all the requirements," said the newly elected Timor Leste President Taur Matan Ruak at Palacio Presidencial Nicolau Lobato on May 20, 2012.
The former commander of the Armed Forces National Liberation of East Timor said Indonesia had an important role in supporting Timor Leste's efforts to become a permanent member of ASEAN.
Matan Ruak replaced Jose Ramos-Horta, for a five-year term, after the general elections in Timor Leste on March 17 and April 16 in 2012.
He was sworn in as President on May 20, 2012, the same day that East Timor marked the 10th anniversary of its independence.
"I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for his commitment and determination to support Timor Leste`s application to become an ASEAN member," Matan Ruak said.
Former Timor Leste President Ramos Horta also underscored the importance of Indonesia`s role in supporting the tiny island country with a population of 1,066,582 people.
In a ceremony to mark the transfer of power to the then president-elect Taur Matan Ruak on Sunday night, May 20, 2012, Horta noted Timor Leste was more stable in the political and security aspects, and he expressed hope the country would make a lot of progress under the leadership of the new president.
"Tonight I hand over the power to the new president with an assurance that this country is in a more stable condition," Horta said.
He stated the new leader of Timor Leste was a figure who was highly committed to maintaining the nation`s stability and its good relations with Indonesia as well as all its neighbouring countries.
"I for one will continue to work and to encourage an even stronger relationship with Indonesia and all neighbouring countries that assist our efforts to join ASEAN," Horta said.
According to Horta, Indonesia`s support in Timor Leste`s bid to be a part of ASEAN was highly appreciated by all people of the country.
"Our cooperation on ASEAN reflects our constructive relationship and our common goal for Southeast Asia and all other parties," he added.
Meanwhile, President Yudhoyono said Indonesia would continue to step up cooperation with Timor Leste.
"What we are going to do is to follow up on the recommendations of the Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) and cooperate in the fields of economy, politics and sociocultural affairs bilaterally as well as in the international forums," Yudhoyono added.
Timor Leste and Indonesia (which ruled the former Portuguese colony for 24 years) set up the Commission of Truth and Friendship in 2005.
In 1999 the people of Timor Leste voted in favour of breaking away from Indonesia, which led to serious violence (allegedly by Indonesian military-backed militia) in the region.
Timor Leste`s leaders have taken a largely conciliatory stance towards Indonesia since then, arguing that good relationship with Indonesia is crucial to the small country's future.
President Yudhoyono noted the governments of Indonesia and Timor Leste had agreed to cooperate in settling various issues of the past.
"I feel proud that in the past decade Indonesia and Timor Leste have worked hard together to build a solid relationship and we base it on our mutual understanding and respect," President Yudhoyono said.
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, is a country in Oceania comprising the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecussi-Ambeno, an enclave on the north-western side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor.
The geographically small country spread over an area of 14,874 square kilometres is situated about 400 miles (640 km) northwest of Darwin, Australia.
The name Timor derives from "timur", which means east in Indonesian and Malay and had become Timor in Portuguese.
The Portuguese name Timor-Leste and the unofficial Tetum name Timor Lorosae are sometimes used in English, and the United Nations officially calls it Timor-Leste.
"Lorosae", the word for east in Tetum language, literally means the rising sun.
Colonised by Portugal in the 16th century, East Timor was known as Portuguese Timor for centuries.
Indonesia took over the then East Timor in 1975 and declared it as its 27th province the following year.
But after the 1999 UN-sponsored act of self-determination that year, Indonesia relinquished control of the territory and East Timor became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century on May 20, 2002.
Alongside the Philippines, East Timor is one of the only two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia.
(T.O001/KR-BSR/F001)
Reporter: by Panca Hari Prabowo
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
