Portugal available to support Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN

“We are available for this, to work with Singapore, and with Timor-Leste because of the importance we attach to participation in ASEAN”, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, João Gomes Cravinho, said today in Singapore, indicating that this was one of the issues discussed during the meeting he held today with his Singaporean counterpart, Vivian Balakrishnan.

Speaking in Singapore, where a tour of the region ends today, João Gomes Cravinho welcomed “with satisfaction” the ASEAN agreement for the accession, in principle, of East Timor, as its 11th Member State.

“East Timor will strengthen ASEAN and I think it will be an asset for ASEAN, but it cannot be a factor that creates difficulties in terms of the functioning and institutions of the organization”, he said.

Despite highlighting the progress made in terms of capacity building in East Timor over the last 20 years, Cravinho said that, with regard to joining ASEAN, it is necessary to continue strengthening national capacities.

Portugal, he said, has been working on this issue “in an indirect way”, especially through the support that the Portuguese mission in Geneva has given in the last year and a half to East Timor’s accession efforts to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

“This process, which should be completed within a few months, is an important contribution to making Timor-Leste more adapted to ASEAN requirements. Even if more work is needed,” he considered.

Still within the framework of ASEAN, the head of Portuguese diplomacy defended a strengthening of relations between the European Union and the regional organization, especially within the framework of the European strategy for the Indo-Pacific.

East Timor, given its historical ties with Portugal and the current process of joining ASEAN, turned out to be one of the topics that raised the most questions from the public.

He recalled Portugal‘s historical relationship with East Timor and emphasized the “great progress” in the country’s development in the two decades since the restoration of independence, in 2002, despite occasional turmoil and difficulties.

“It has to be considered a significant success story, even if the tendency is always to look at shortfalls rather than advances,” he said.

Asked by the audience what advice he would give to his counterparts in East Timor’s two main neighbors, Australia and Indonesia, João Gomes Cravinho said that the two countries should look generously to Dili.

“It is clearly in their long-term interest to be generous to East Timor. East Timor needs to continue to consolidate and has interesting economic opportunities related to the Greater Sunrise field”, he said.

“Negotiations are still ongoing on whether the pipeline goes to northern Australia or to East Timor, but if it goes to East Timor it creates significant development opportunities in that country,” he explained.

In this context, he said, “it makes no sense, as it could occur in relations with countries that have been established for a longer time, to fight for economic advantages” and “it would make more sense, from the Australian point of view, to guarantee that East Timor does not run the risk of becoming a failed state, because Australia would be the first to feel that”.

“Therefore, generosity. And I say the same to Indonesia. It makes perfect sense to give maximum support to East Timor. Indonesia will now preside over ASEAN and this constitutes a new opportunity to show openness and long-term vision”, he concluded.

With information from Sapo