VERBATIM TEXT

WELCOME REMARKS BY

THE HONOURABLE DATO’ SERI ANWAR BIN IBRAHIM

PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA

AT THE

RECEPTION ON THE OCCASION OF

TIMOR LESTE’S ADMISSION TO ASEAN

1. Your Majesty, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I will cut down the pleasantries because we are all hungry, and you are looking forward for the lunch, not for my speech. I’m aware of that.

2. But I think today, the luncheon is, of course, hosted by the Government of Timor Leste. Thank you, President Ramos-Horta, and thank you, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, and all those present.

3. We, the ASEAN Community fraternity, rejoice with the ascension of Timor Leste as the 11^th member of our great ASEAN Community. And, of course, on behalf of all my colleagues, we can assure you, we will consider you as a real, functional, effective partner.

4. We understand your tribulations, we understand your hope and aspirations, and let us join and build this ASEAN together. And thank you again for willing to consider and adopting all the conditions imposed in the corridors. Difficult as it may be initially, but you did well.

5. So, let me say, on behalf of Malaysia, on behalf of all our colleagues, a great thank you.