Indonesia Backs ASEAN to Continue Capacity Building for Timor Leste

Jakarta, MINA – Indonesia has expressed its support for ASEAN to continue capacity building assistance to Timor Leste to prepare it to become an ASEAN member, Antara News reported, citing the Foreign Ministry.

“ASEAN needs to encourage Timor Leste to become an ASEAN member by increasing its capacity building assistance,” Director General of ASEAN Cooperation at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, Jose Tavares, said in a press statement released on Wednesday.

He made the remarks at the 6th meeting of ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group (ACCWG) to discuss Timor Leste`s bid for ASEAN membership in Jakarta on Tuesday (Dec 5).

“To obtain information based on the real condition, we need to visit Timor Leste to monitor the developments in the field and its need for capacity building,” he stated.

The meeting also discussed a list of ASEAN`s activities, which can be followed by Timor Leste.

Based on the ASEAN agreement, the move is expected to enable Timor Leste to take part in the activities, which can increase capacity building and encourage Timor Leste?s active participation in the activities.

Meanwhile, ASEAN Deputy Secretary General for Political and Security Pillars Hirubalan V.P remarked that ASEAN should consider Timor Leste`s bid for ASEAN membership, as the country is geographically located in Southeast Asia.

However, ASEAN still has to follow up on the final result of an independent study related to the implication of Timor Leste`s membership, particularly when it comes to the three pillars of the ASEAN community.

The three pillars are political and security pillar, economic pillar, and social cultural pillar.

The results of the study should be conveyed to the Timor Leste government during a visit to the country. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)