Latest news with #ASEANSeniorOfficials'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.
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.
GMA Network
25-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
PH commits to Timor Leste's accession process to ASEAN
Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro (seventh from left) represented the Philippines at the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting in preparation for the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits. PHOTO: DFA USEC. THERESA LAZARO KUALA LUMPUR - The Philippines will continue to back Timor Leste's bid in joining the ASEAN, a senior official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. 'We also committed to supporting Timor-Leste's accession process and contributing to ASEAN Community Vision 2045 implementation,' DFA Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said. President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. has since expressed support for Timor Leste's full membership in the regional bloc. Timor Leste, also known as East Timor, gained its independence from Indonesia on May 20, 2002. East Timor was previously a colony of Portugal for centuries until November 1975. Lazaro, who is set to replace DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo, represented the Philippines at the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting in preparation for the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits. 'We discussed the importance of strengthening ASEAN centrality while expanding strategic partnerships,' she said. During the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting, Malaysia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dato Seri Utama Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan said ASEAN centrality is the compass 'as we engage the world, and navigate the complexities of our external relations.' 'We must remain the driver of our regional architecture. Only ASEAN speaks for Southeast Asia,' he said. He also pointed out that as the world becomes polarized, ASEAN must offer a different path. 'We must continue to promote a model grounded in dialogue, cooperation and multilateralism,' Hasan said. Malaysia is this year's host of this year's ASEAN Summit, with the theme, 'Inclusivity and Sustainability.' —RF, GMA Integrated News
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
SOM leaders emphasise 46th ASEAN Summit as key milestone towards ASEAN Community Vision 2045
KUALA LUMPUR: The ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) today underscored the importance of the 46th ASEAN Summit as a key milestone in advancing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, which aims to shape a resilient, innovative, and people-centred regional bloc. The meeting was chaired by the Foreign Ministry Secretary-General, Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) here. According to Wisma Putra, it was convened in preparation for the 46th ASEAN Summit, the 2nd ASEAN- Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, which will be held on May 26 to 27. 'The Meeting also recognised the upcoming ASEAN-GCC and ASEAN-GCC-China Summits as critical platforms to enhance ASEAN's external partnerships, particularly in the areas of energy, trade, investment, and sustainable development,' it said in a Facebook post today. Wisma Putra added that ASEAN SOM leaders, together with the SOM leader of Timor-Leste, also exchanged views on regional developments and matters of mutual interest According to Wisma Putra, key topics included ASEAN Community building, implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, ASEAN's external relations, Timor-Leste's progress towards full ASEAN membership, and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). The 46th ASEAN Summit is being held under Malaysia's 2025 Chairmanship theme, 'Inclusivity and Sustainability'. This year also marks the country's fifth time at the helm of the regional bloc, following previous chairmanships in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015. The ASEAN Summit and its related meetings are expected to address a wide range of pressing regional and global issues, with the situation in Myanmar remaining a critical topic of concern for ASEAN member states.
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
46th ASEAN Summit as key milestone towards ASEAN Community Vision 2045
KUALA LUMPUR: The ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) today underscored the importance of the 46th ASEAN Summit as a key milestone in advancing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, which aims to shape a resilient, innovative, and people-centred regional bloc. The meeting was chaired by the Foreign Ministry Secretary-General, Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) here. According to Wisma Putra, it was convened in preparation for the 46th ASEAN Summit, the 2nd ASEAN- Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, which will be held on May 26 to 27. 'The Meeting also recognised the upcoming ASEAN-GCC and ASEAN-GCC-China Summits as critical platforms to enhance ASEAN's external partnerships, particularly in the areas of energy, trade, investment, and sustainable development,' it said in a Facebook post today. Wisma Putra added that ASEAN SOM leaders, together with the SOM leader of Timor-Leste, also exchanged views on regional developments and matters of mutual interest According to Wisma Putra, key topics included ASEAN Community building, implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, ASEAN's external relations, Timor-Leste's progress towards full ASEAN membership, and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). The 46th ASEAN Summit is being held under Malaysia's 2025 Chairmanship theme, 'Inclusivity and Sustainability'. This year also marks the country's fifth time at the helm of the regional bloc, following previous chairmanships in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015. The ASEAN Summit and its related meetings are expected to address a wide range of pressing regional and global issues, with the situation in Myanmar remaining a critical topic of concern for ASEAN member states.
