Timor-Leste Ambassador: 'Dream Comes True'

Right after Timor-Leste officially became the 11th member of ASEAN, Timor-Leste Ambassador to Vietnam João Pereira shared with TG&VN about this historic event for Timor-Leste in particular and for ASEAN in general.

ASEAN leaders witness the signing ceremony of the declaration on the admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN within the framework of the 47th ASEAN Summit. (Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac)

What is the significance of Timor Leste's official accession to ASEAN, especially in the context of the region promoting economic integration and cooperation for sustainable development, Ambassador?

Timor-Leste's official admission to ASEAN after 14 years of continuous efforts is of great significance to the country and people of Timor-Leste.

This is not only a “dream come true” but also a strong affirmation of our country’s journey – a journey of resilience, determination and hope to become an inseparable part of a community united by common values ​​and aspirations.

Timor-Leste Ambassador to Vietnam João Pereira. (PH)

That is what Timor-Leste aspires to be. We aspire to contribute to the peace , stability and prosperity of the region. At the same time, Timor-Leste will be part of the effort to build resilience, strengthen solidarity and ensure that no one is left behind. That is our greatest aspiration – and that is why we aspire to be part of this community.

How does Timor Leste intend to contribute to ASEAN's common priorities, particularly in areas such as inclusive growth, green transition and regional connectivity?

Timor-Leste's accession to ASEAN is a testament to the spirit of our people - a democracy born from hardship, now welcoming the milestone of a new era of cooperation and development within one of the world's most dynamic regions.

It is a region of more than 600 million people who share a vision of peace, stability and prosperity with the goals of inclusive growth, green transformation and regional connectivity between people to people, government to government, and business to business. These are the aspirations and determination of the people of Timor-Leste after becoming an official member of ASEAN.

Party Central Committee Secretary and Acting Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung received Timor-Leste's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Bendito dos Santos Freitas during his visit to Vietnam on September 16.

Vietnam and Timor Leste have potential for cooperation in many fields. How does the Ambassador assess the prospects for promoting relations between the two countries when Timor Leste officially becomes an official member of ASEAN?

The strong relationship between our two countries has been built since the establishment of our Embassy in Vietnam, and since our independence. Vietnam is one of the important pillars of the region, and Timor-Leste has always wanted to cooperate with Vietnam to promote cooperation in many fields.

I think the immediate plan is for Vietnam to soon establish an embassy in Timor-Leste. We hope that with Timor-Leste becoming a member of ASEAN, Vietnam will have a greater presence in our country, promoting deeper and broader cooperation.

For Timor-Leste, Vietnam’s strategic location in the region is an important advantage. In recent decades, Vietnam’s economy has grown steadily and rapidly, which has inspired Timor-Leste to want to establish closer ties and deeper cooperation with Vietnam.

Becoming a member of ASEAN will also open up more opportunities for Timor-Leste to learn, exchange experiences and pursue areas of cooperation that both countries are interested in and have common interests. Timor-Leste and Vietnam began cooperation in 2002, and to date, one of the most strongly developed areas of bilateral cooperation is telecommunications and media. In recent times, Vietnam's Telemore Company (Viettel Telemore) has made significant contributions to the development of Timor-Leste; providing people with the most accessible and convenient telecommunications services.

We will also promote development in other areas, including agriculture, education, science and technology, information technology, oil and gas... I noticed that the Vietnamese Prime Minister also expressed his desire to cooperate with Timor-Leste in the fields of oil and gas exploration and mining, thereby promoting investment in other areas such as agriculture and fisheries.

The question is how the two sides can jointly promote these areas of cooperation, especially after Timor-Leste became a member of ASEAN, in order to build specific cooperation agreements, thereby achieving more practical and effective results in the coming time.

Thank you very much, Ambassador!

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dai-su-timor-leste-giac-mo-da-tro-thanh-hien-thuc-332502.html