East Timor’s President Jose Ramos-Horta hopes Indonesia will aid ‘symbolic’ Asean entry in 2023
- This year East Timor celebrated two decades of independence from Indonesia, which invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975
- One researcher believes based on Indonesia’s size in the bloc, it has the potential to influence other Asean members to approve East Timor’s inclusion
Raising awareness about Dili’s bid to join the regional bloc and strengthening ties with Jakarta have been Ramos-Horta’s key objectives during his ongoing visit to Indonesia.
The 72-year-old is on his first overseas visit since he was elected in April to the presidency he previously held between 2007 and 2012. East Timor this year marks two decades of full independence from Indonesia following a brutal occupation stretching back to 1975.
The president, one of the country’s independence heroes and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, acknowledged Jakarta’s role in ensuring smooth bilateral ties in the post-independence era.
“Tribute to Indonesia for having behaved the way it has behaved with Timor-Leste,” said Ramos-Horta using his country’s official name in a Thursday policy speech organised by the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI).
“No temptation of revenge [on Indonesia’s part] because you can [take] revenge many different ways,” the East Timor president said.
