File photo : East Timor’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao//AFP
Franking speaking, Timor Leste’s membership in Asean is becoming increasingly problematic. This is mainly due to the extensive comments by the country’s leaders on the role of Asean and the situation in Myanmar. Dili has been trying to join Asean since it gained independence in 2000 although, at this stage, there has not been any clear indicator whether they feel as strongly about Asean as before.
These days, the East Timorese leaders have perceived themselves as the world’s newest democracy and that this should be their rightful place. From Dili’s standpoint, Asean is still wanting in terms of being a democratic institution as it has non-democratic members.
The bloc has agreed in principle to admit the island nation as its eleventh member in 2022 but without a specific timeframe. Dili has to follow the roadmap…
