National Parliament through Commission C has held a seminar attended by international specialists to examine Timor-Leste’s bid for admittance to ASEAN.
“We always say we want to adhere to ASEAN, but we haven’t known its financial economic implications,” Commission C (public finance) president MP Virgilio Maria Dias Marcal said in National Parliament.
He said the seminar focused on ASEAN’s commitment to economic cooperation and free movement of skilled labor within Asia as well as the establishment of a free market system and legislative harmonization.
“We see that the international seminar is very important. The MPs can participate in finding out about the financial implications we face when we adhere to ASEAN,” he said.
The seminar, which ran from February 12 to 14, was attended by staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affair and Cooperation (MNEK) and Secretary of State for ASEAN Matters as well as MPs.
MP Arao Noe said Commission A did not participate in the seminar as it was held the same day as the commission’s discussions about new social communication legislation.
“The seminar was also important but these laws were already given to the Parliament on September last year; we need to discuss them,” the Commission A member said.
National Parliament Deputy President MP Aderito Hugo called on the MPs to participate in the three day seminar, as the topic was relevant to Timor-Leste.
“We have submitted our application to become an ASEAN member in 2010. We still have a phase in which we must look carefully, to familiarize ourselves on the benefits, advantages and disadvantage (of ASEAN membership) which exist,”he said.
