Daffon, Phoenex V.

1. Reasons why Timor Leste did not participate in ASEAN

 Sources said there were several reasons for its failure to muster the required
unanimous vote among the existing members, including its ability to meet the
required costs, its close ties with China, and a failure to speak out against the junta in
Myanmar.
 Timor Leste's ASEAN established the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working
Group (ACCWG) to ensure that the standards were met. Timor-Leste is required by
the Charter to align its legal system with ASEAN legal documents and the ASEAN
Community Blueprint in order to become a new member. According to the report,
Timor Leste's legal frameworks were only 1.6% bound by the ASEAN agreement by
2015, when it was intended for them to be fully compliant with a 50% rise in legal
alignment by June 2018. 
 Improvement in economy and human resources is needed by Timor-Leste in
securing its possibility to become a member of ASEAN. In achieving this, Timor-
Leste is still in progress for improvement, and it is impossible without any help. On
23rd March 2017, Timor-Leste is approved to be a member of the Asian
Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which is backed by China, to improve its
economic and social development.
 In conclusion, the prolonging process of Timor-Leste’s admission to ASEAN is due
to shift of ASEAN Declaration towards ASEAN Charter, which allows ASEAN in
delaying the process; Timor-Leste’s economy and human resources; and the
likelihood of foreign influence within ASEAN in the future. Possibility and
impossibility for Timor-Leste’s admission are included within the aforementioned
reasons. Despite the obstacles present ahead, Timor-Leste should continue to be
tenacious in their effort for ASEAN membership.
2. What is an intergovernmental organization?
 Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) are created by states through multilateral
treaties that act like a constitution in that the states parties are consenting to be
bound by the treaty that sets up the agencies, functions, and purposes of the
organization. IGOs are involved in treaty making but they also publish other
documents that those researching International law may be interested in. It has
international legal status that may include privileges, immunities, rights and duties
that are in turn based upon its founding charter or statute.
3. Efforts of ASEAN towards the concept of arm struggling

 ASEAN was designed as a trust-building mechanism for its members rather than
as a platform for mediating disputes. Historically, ASEAN has been able to
minimize interstate conflict because of an adherence to the principles of consensus,
non-interference, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
 Preserving regional peace and stability, adopting a comprehensive approach to
security challenges and developing friendly and mutually beneficial relations with
external partners have been the underlying principles of ASEAN's approach to
political and security issues and developments.