Latest news with #ASEANForeignMinisters'Meeting
Malaysian Reserve
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysian Reserve
Timor-Leste confident of gaining full ASEAN membership by October
by HIDAYATH HISHAM & FARAH SOLHI TIMOR-LESTE is optimistic about becoming a full member of ASEAN by October this year, according to Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao (picture). Its Minister of Foreign Affairs Bendito Dos Santos Freitas also expressed confidence that the country will meet all requirements during Malaysia's chairmanship of ASEAN this year.'Yes, I do believe. We are doing our best to meet the necessary requirements,' he told the media at the 46th ASEAN Summit today. He said the country is working hard to fulfil all the criteria laid out by the regional bloc. 'What the ASEAN foreign ministers have conveyed is that as long as we fulfil part of the criteria, we can become an ASEAN member. We are completing the remaining criteria step by step,' he said. First applying to join ASEAN back in 2011, the bloc granted it observer status and accepted its membership in principle during the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits in Phnom Penh in November 2022. During a press conference yesterday, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said Malaysia supports Timor-Leste's admission into ASEAN and has proposed a phased timeline to allow the country to meet all entry conditions. 'We are doing our best to facilitate Timor-Leste's membership in ASEAN because the majority of member countries want it to be part of the bloc's big family,' he said. Mohamad added that a Timor-Leste Unit has been established to assist the country in fulfilling its roadmap, which supports its integration into the bloc. 'The ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting will continue discussions on the guidelines under the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting,' he said. As part of ongoing efforts, the establishment of a dedicated task force on Timor-Leste has also been proposed.
Barnama
25-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
ASEAN Ministers Reaffirm Unity By Calling Myanmar To Comply With The 5PC
KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- ASEAN's call on Myanmar to fully comply with the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) as a prerequisite for holding any elections in the country concluded the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting today. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said that ASEAN has conveyed a clear, strong, and consistent message to Myanmar that any discussion on elections must take place only after the full implementation of the 5PC. 'There's no point having an election if it is partially participated in by people of Myanmar. That will aggregate the situation. As far as ASEAN is concerned, we very much insist upon this 5PC to be fulfilled by the State Administration Council (SAC),' he said. Meanwhile, ASEAN Foreign Ministers today reaffirmed their support for Timor-Leste's full membership in the regional bloc, acknowledging the country's significant progress in implementing the ASEAN Roadmap. Mohamad said the development marked one of the key highlights of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM), held here ahead of the 46th ASEAN Summit, which also endorsed a proposal to establish a Special Task Force for Timor-Leste. He emphasised 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. Mohamad also called for ASEAN to urgently strengthen regional economic integration and collective resilience amid intensifying global disruptions, including the United States (US)-China trade war, climate change, and rapid technological shifts. He said superpower competition and the resulting shifts in the global order have the potential to disrupt the regional landscape as ASEAN nations are among those most heavily affected by the US-imposed tariffs. On another development, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the collective ASEAN gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to grow at 4.7 per cent in 2025 as compared to 4.2 per cent last year.
Barnama
25-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Malaysia's Chairmanship Drives ASEAN's Leap Into The Digital Future
REGION - CENTRAL > NEWS Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) today. KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- ASEAN is set to fully embrace the advances in science, technology and innovation, especially breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, as the grouping takes a bold step into the future under Malaysia's Chairmanship. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan outlined this focus during his opening remarks at the 36th ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) Meeting here today, ahead of the 46th ASEAN Summit. He said these rapid digital advancements hold the key to faster economic growth, societal progress and greater security across Southeast Asia. 'These advances in technology would assist us in our journey, as long as we advance together as one. 'Above all, we must ensure that no one is left behind, as we prepare our region to meet future challenges with resilience and foresight,' said the Malaysian chair. Mohamad stressed that ASEAN's ability to remain connected and resilient will be crucial to maintaining its competitiveness and relevance. He said the bloc's track record proves that when member states unite with determination, great opportunities are created for its people. 'ASEAN must continue its rally, with purpose and in unity, to emerge stronger in the face of a turbulent world, characterised by fragmentation and uncertainty,' he added. Earlier, Mohamad described the meeting as a timely opportunity to reflect on ASEAN's progress across its three pillars, namely the Political-Security Community (APSC), Economic Community (AEC) and Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).
Barnama
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
ASEAN Envoy Appointment Signals Stronger Regional Resolve
KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- The proposal to appoint a Permanent ASEAN Special Envoy on Myanmar is a reflection of the region's political commitment to resolving the ongoing crisis, an academic said. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Institute of Malaysian and International Studies Fellow, Dr Muhamad Azwan Abd Rahman, said the move illustrates ASEAN's unified and courageous approach to tackling Myanmar's protracted conflict. 'The Myanmar issue is complex, but today's decision signals ASEAN's readiness to adopt a clearer, bolder, and more balanced stance,' he said during a special Bernama TV broadcast of the 46th Summit: Regional Diplomacy and Global Powers, aired today. At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, member states agreed to begin internal consultations on the proposed appointment of a Permanent Special Envoy on Myanmar for a three-year term—aimed at ensuring continuity and sustained engagement with the country. Dr Muhamad Azwan said the proposed three-year mandate is a pragmatic step that allows time to build trust and foster inclusive, ongoing dialogue. Muhamad Azwan said ASEAN's readiness to consider a permanent envoy also signals its willingness to confront the political reality in Myanmar in a structured and consistent way. He noted that Myanmar's crisis is rooted in a complex power struggle, with the people demanding change. 'ASEAN cannot remain a bystander. It must serve as a vehicle for the people of Myanmar to determine their own future,' he said, stressing that any envoy appointed must be open and able to engage with a broad range of stakeholders. At present, ASEAN special envoys are appointed annually by the chair of the bloc.
The Sun
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Timor-Leste's ASEAN membership bid gains strong regional backing
KUALA LUMPUR: 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. Mohamad said that today's meetings also called for continued deliberations by the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) to develop the necessary guidelines to facilitate Timor-Leste's legal accession and full participation within ASEAN institutions. In a related development, he noted that the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Commission had adopted a draft addendum to the SEANWFZ Treaty, providing a legal pathway for Timor-Leste's accession to the treaty. The adoption of the Addendum, he said, marks a significant milestone in integrating Timor-Leste into ASEAN's political and security frameworks, noting that ASEAN member states will now begin domestic legal procedures aimed at finalising Timor-Leste's accession by the 47th ASEAN Summit in October. He added that the outcomes of the ministerial-level meetings will be further deliberated at the ASEAN Leaders' level during the 46th ASEAN Summit, chaired by Malaysia. Timor-Leste, which gained independence in 2002, was granted observer status in ASEAN in 2022 and has since been working towards full membership based on a structured Roadmap endorsed by the regional bloc. The 46th ASEAN Summit and its related meetings, held under Malaysia's 2025 Chairmanship theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability', are expected to address a broad range of pressing regional and international issues, with the ongoing crisis in Myanmar remaining a central concern for ASEAN member states. This year marks Malaysia's fifth time chairing the regional organisation, having previously assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015. In addition to the ASEAN-level meetings, two key inter-regional summits—the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit—will also take place on May 26 and 27, signalling the growing engagement between Southeast Asia and its strategic partners in the Gulf and China.
