Hun Sen highlights need for Asean to admit Timor Leste

[geovalin]

Prime Minister Hun Sen has highlighted the slow pace which Asean is taking to admit neighbouring Timor Leste into the regional bloc. Addressing the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits yesterday, Mr Hun Sen said the bloc has continued to isolate Timor Leste and this should be an issue of concern. He noted that that in terms of geopolitical competition, Timor-Leste may move towards a more reliable place for her outside of Asean.

 

“Cambodia supports Timor-Leste’s request to join Asean. At this point, Cambodia calls on other Asean members to understand Timor-Leste’s efforts for many years. Timor-Leste has established its embassy in all Asean nations, but our Asean seems to be ignoring Timor-Leste’s efforts,” Mr Hun Sen noted. He urged all Asean leaders to speed up their political decision to accept Timor-Leste’s membership.

 

Timor-Leste has been applying for Asean membership since 2011, when Indonesia was chair of the grouping. Asean leaders, except from Myanmar, began their summit via videoconference yesterday, under the theme “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper”, chaired by Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei.

 

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