KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — South-east Asian leaders have agreed to accept Timor-Leste as the 11th member of the regional bloc at the upcoming Asean Summit in October, subject to the fulfilment of several remaining requirements for full membership.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, however, said that the leaders had reached a consensus to support Timor-Leste in taking all necessary steps to become a full member of the regional bloc.
“The decision was clearly to agree (that) they would become accepted as full member by next Summit in October, of course subject to one or two actions or reforms to be undertaken, particularly one of the condition of economic pillar,” he said in the wrap-up press conference to conclude the 46th Asean Summit, here today.
Timor Leste, which first applied for Asean membership in 2011, was granted observer status at high-level meetings in 2022. However, its full integration is still under evaluation.
Its Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, who was also in Kuala Lumpur to attend the Summit, was reported as being optimistic about securing the full membership by the end of this year. — Bernama