Kuala lumpur: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced today that East Timor has officially joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a new member.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Malaysian Prime Minister described East Timor’s admission to ASEAN as historic and a milestone that affirms ASEAN’s shared destiny and the enduring spirit of regional kinship.
He added that the inclusion of East Timor gives new meaning to the vision of a comprehensive and unified ASEAN.
East Timor complements the ASEAN family, which affirms the common destiny and deep sense of regional interdependence, Prime Minister Ibrahim said. East Timor’s development and strategic independence will find firm and lasting support.
ASEAN was founded in 1967 and currently comprises of 11 members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and East Timor.