Your Majesty,
Your Excellency Chair of ASEAN,
Excellencies ASEAN Leaders,
Excellencies Guests of the Chair,
Excellency Secretary General of ASEAN,
Distinguished Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
As I delivered my speech yesterday at the signing of the Declaration of the Admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN, it marked a day that will forever be remembered in the history of Timor-Leste and our region.
On behalf of the Government and people of Timor-Leste, I once again express our profound gratitude to the Government and people of Malaysia and to all ASEAN Member States for welcoming us into this great family and to all the distinguished guests for joining us on this very special celebration.
In Timor-Leste, we believe that true friendship is best shared through our culture - through music, dance, and the stories of our land and people. In this occasion today, we are delighted to share a glimpse of Timor-Leste’s beauty and spirit through our traditional performances. It is our way of saying Obrigadu Barak - Thank You - and Bemvindu - Welcome.
Please enjoy these moments with us, as friends and family, in the spirit of warmth, joy, and togetherness that defines the Timorese way of welcoming.
Before concluding, I warmly invite Your Majesty, Your Excellencies, our development partners and our distinguished guests to join me on a short trip to Timor-Leste — not by plane, but through a video presentation — to experience the beauty and spirit of our nation.
Thank you very much.
Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão
Source: Press Officer, Mr Augustino