The Timorese Prime Minister thanked on Tuesday for the support of ASEAN member states to Timor-Leste’s accession process, hailing the organization’s role in consolidating stability, unity and peace In the region.

As a democratic nation in Southeast Asia, Timor-Leste’s membership in ASEAN is a top priority on our foreign policy agenda. We would like to be part of the ASEAN community, a community bound together by trust, friendship and cooperation,” said Xanana Gusmão, during the plenary session that marked the start of the 43rd Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in Jakarta. .

“For more than half a century, ASEAN has promoted stability, unity and peace in our region. ASEAN has shown the world the power of dialogue and what can be achieved when nations unite around a common peaceful goal,” he said.

Welcoming the decision to welcome Timor-Leste in principle as the 11th member of ASEAN, Xanana Gusmão recalled the vital role of the organization also in terms of economic strengthening.

Thanks to ASEAN, Southeast Asia is now a dynamic economic power, which faces the future with confidence. I would like to thank all ASEAN member countries for supporting Timor-Leste’s ambition to join ASEAN,” he said.

The Chief Executive of Timor reiterated the Timorese commitment to the “principles that sustain ASEAN”, supporting “the central role of ASEAN in promoting peace, security and stability in the region” and in building regional resilience in response to common and emerging challenges. “My government is committed to working with ASEAN to implement the roadmap based on targets and benchmarks for all of our members. We understand the challenges ahead of us,” he said.

Timor-Leste says it doesn’t want to be a ‘headache’ for the Association of Asian Nations

Xanana Gusmão is in Jakarta accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Francisco Kalbuadi, Minister and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bendito de Freitas and Milena Rangel, respectively, and Minister of Interior, Francisco Guterres.

Gusmão spoke at the summit’s business forum on Monday and will participate in the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum on Tuesday, with several bilateral meetings scheduled throughout the week. This Tuesday will take place bilateral meetings between the Timorese leader and his counterparts from Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah and Vietnam, Pham Minh Chính.

On Wednesday, several ASEAN meetings are scheduled with China, South Korea, Japan, the United States and Canada, with Xanana Gusmão meeting bilaterally with her counterparts from Laos, Sonexay Siphadon from Australia, Anthony Albanese, from Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong and from Cambodia, Hun Manet.

Thursday’s agenda includes the ASEAN-India, ASEAN-Australia and ASEAN-United Nations summits, as well as the 18th Southeast Asia Summit. That day, Xanana Gusmão is due to meet the head of New Zealand diplomacy, the Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, the Malaysian Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim and the UN Secretary General, António Guterres.