The Association of Southeast Asian Nations welcomed East Timor as its newest member Sunday, which its prime minister said was a “dream realized” for the tiny nation.
“Today, history is made,” Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao told the other leaders as the flag of East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, was added to the other 10 on the stage at a formal ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.
It was ASEAN’s first expansion since the 1990s and was more than a decade in the making.
“For the people of Timor Leste this is not only a dream realized, but a powerful affirmation of our journey — one marked by resilience, determination and hope,” he said.
The ceremony marked the opening of ASEAN’s annual summit, followed by two days of high-level engagements with key partners including China, Japan, India, Australia, Russia, South Korea and the U.S.
