Timor-Leste's ASEAN Membership Bid Gains Strong Regional Backing -- Mohamad Hasan
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan attends a press conference held in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today. -- fotoBERNAMA (2025) COPYRIGHT RESERVED
KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- ASEAN Foreign Ministers today reaffirmed their strong support for Timor-Leste's full membership in the regional bloc, acknowledging the country's significant progress in implementing the ASEAN Roadmap.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the development marked one of the key highlights of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM), held on the sidelines of the 46th ASEAN Summit here, which also endorsed a proposal to establish a Special Taskforce for Timor-Leste.
He emphasised, however, that Timor-Leste must work diligently to fulfil all requirements and ensure compliance with ASEAN's legal instruments, expressing hope that full membership could be formalised during the ASEAN Summit with Dialogue Partners at the end of October this year.
'On this matter (the establishment of a Special Taskforce for Timor-Leste), as mentioned by the ASEAN Secretary-General, there is already a Timor-Leste Unit tasked with facilitating the country's fulfilment of the Roadmap, including its accession to ASEAN's legal instruments,' he said.
'We commend the meaningful progress made by Timor-Leste in implementing the Roadmap, as reflected in the Progress Report,' he added during a press conference today.
Earlier, Mohamad chaired the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM), held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).
Mohamad reiterated that Timor-Leste must work doubly hard to fulfil all legal requirements, most of which fall under the ASEAN Economic Community.
'There's so many legal instruments they have to fulfill especially on economic sector pillars, about 66 legal instruments to fulfil… (so) why not we rope them in first, then we give them certain number of years for them (to fulfil the requirement),' he said.
'…this is a way for us to ensure that it is in line with the theme of ASEAN this year, which is inclusivity and sustainability. We must be inclusive; Timor-Leste should be included in the ASEAN as a full membership,' he added.
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