The Philippines will continue supporting Timor-Leste’s membership bid to become a regular member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), incoming Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro reaffirmed on Saturday night.

Lazaro, currently the Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, represented Manila in the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting on May 24 in preparation for the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“We discussed the importance of strengthening ASEAN centrality while expanding strategic partnerships,” she said on X.

“We also committed to supporting Timor-Leste’s accession process and contributing to ASEAN Community Vision 2045 implementation.”

The bloc had granted the young nation an observer status and allowed its participation in all of its meetings, including summit plenaries.

In a November 2022 statement, the ASEAN leaders agreed “in-principle to admit Timor-Leste to be the 11th member” of the bloc.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier said Timor-Leste’s accession to the bloc is on the agenda in the coming ASEAN meetings.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will attend the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings in Malaysia on May 26 and 27.

Current ASEAN members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (PNA)