Timor Leste Foreign Minister Zacarias da Costa on March 4 presented the application to his Indonesian counterpart, Marty Natalegawa, whose country currently holds the chairmanship of the bloc.

Geographically, Timor Leste belongs to Southeast Asia and Indonesia fully supports the country joining the association, Minister Natalegawa told a press briefing after receiving the letter.

Noting that joining ASEAN will have positive impacts on the Timor Leste economy, Minister Netalegawa said he hoped the country can be admitted by 2015.

At the press briefing, Minister Da Costa said Timor Leste has had double-digit economic growth in recent years, affirming that it will not be a burden to ASEAN.

In his opinion, the country’s economy will grow stronger if it is linked to ASEAN.

A former Portuguese colony, Timor Leste declared its independence in 1975 but was annexed by Indonesia later that year.

It finally became totally independent in 2002 after two and half years under UN administration following a popular vote to split from Indonesia in 1999.

ASEAN currently includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.