Timor-Leste opens consulate in Cebu

Timor-Leste, established on May 2002 to become the newest nation in the world, inaugurated its consular office in Cebu yesterday after it signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which is holding its 12th Summit here.

Timor-Leste Foreign Minister Jose Luis Guterres said his country's consular office, located at suite 602 of the FGU Building at the Cebu Business Park, is the second in the Philippines and the first outside Metro Manila.

Speaking before a few invited guests for the inaugural ceremony of the Timor-Leste Consulate in Cebu, Guterres said his country had signed the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation to start its eventual joining of the ASEAN.

He said that Timor-Leste, formerly East Timor, will be a regular member of the ASEAN three to five years from now, adding that joining the ASEAN and its economic cooperation is advantageous to his country and his country's future.

The treaty of amity and cooperation is an agreement originally signed in February 1976 by the five founding members of the ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines. It was designed to promote perpetual peace, everlasting amity and cooperation among the people of these countries that will contribute to their strength, solidarity and closer relationship.

Guterres declared yesterday that Timor-Leste is now open to the world for investment, saying that it has the resources to develop, as it is rich in oil, gas and minerals.

Guterres said his country, through its resources, can partake in the development of the ASEAN for the benefit of all the people in the region.

The consular office in Cebu was established not only to extend help to about 100 Timorese -mostly students in various universities here- but to promote Timor-Leste as well, he said.

Guterres thanked the Filipinos for helping his people attain their independence. He said that when they fought for their independence from Indonesia in 1999, a Filipino soldier headed a peacekeeping force sent from the United Nations.

Timor-Leste is formerly known as the province of East Timor in Indonesia. For 24 years, it was under the control of the Indonesian government and three years under the administration of the United Nations until it was granted full independence on May 2002.

Guterres said the Philippines and Timor-Leste share several things in common in terms of culture and religion. - Fred P. Languido and Jasmin R. Uy