Abstract:
This study aims to give a detailed understanding on the progress of Timor-Leste's application for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) membership. As since 2002 Timor-Leste has shown its interest to join ASEAN, that is why in 2005 Timor-Leste success join Asian Regional Forum (ARF) and in 2007 Timor-Leste signed Treaty of Amity and cooperation. In 2011 Timor-Leste officially, apply to ASEAN membership, but Timor-Leste still not accepted by ASEAN as member until now. As Indonesia always support Timor-Leste’s application for ASEAN membership and in 2019 Timor-Leste and Indonesia signed the agreement of cross-border trade and Cooperation between Timor-Leste and Indonesia. Therefore, this study is to provide answer on how Cross-Border Trade and Cooperation between Timor-Leste and Indonesia will support Timor-Leste success application for ASEAN membership in the near future. As Singapore always rejected application of Timor-Leste because of Timor-Leste economic that can hamper the economic growth of ASEAN in the future. In order to analyses this study, the researcher will use bilateral diplomacy to explain about cooperation between Timor-Leste and Indonesia, multilateral diplomacy to explain about Timor-Leste and ASEAN and ASEAN and the relations between two theories is ASEAN ways.
This research is qualitative research, as the author collect the data and explain and analyse with words. The answer for research question is bilateral cooperation between Timor-Leste and Indonesia help Timor-Leste to engage ASEAN in multilateral level.
