The Philippine government reaffirmed on Friday its support for Timor-Leste’s full membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo conveyed the Manila’s commitment to back East Timor’s bid to join the ASEAN to his Timorese counterpart, Foreign Minister Adaljiza A.X.R. Magno, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ (AMM) Retreat in Jakarta, Indonesia.
“I met Timor Leste FM (Magno) on the sidelines of the AMM Retreat in Jakarta to discuss how we can further our bilateral relations & opportunities for cooperation under the ASEAN framework in Timor Leste’s current capacity as observer,” Manalo said in a post on social media.
“I also reiterated (the Philippines’) support for Timor Leste’s eventual admission as a full-fledged member of ASEAN,” he added.
The ASEAN last year granted Timor-Leste an observer status and allowed its participation in all of its meetings, including summit plenaries.
In a November 2022 statement, the ASEAN leaders agreed “in-principle to admit Timor-Leste to be the 11th member” of the bloc.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier said Timor Leste’s inclusion took some time because membership in the ASEAN is a “complex issue” that has to take into consideration factors such as a country’s capacity to assume ASEAN’s rotating chairmanship.
“So there are logistical, personnel, financial aspects that have to be taken into consideration when one becomes a member of ASEAN,” DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said.
