Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Senior officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) would discuss Timor Leste`s interest to join ASEAN and South China Sea disputes in a meeting here on Thursday, an ASEAN official said.

"Yes, it is right. (Timor Leste`s wish) is to be discussed," ASEAN official Djauhari Oratmangun said when met after the meeting.

He said Indonesia had already informed participants of the Senior Official Meeting about Timor Leste`s wish to join ASEAN.

"We will discuss it and we will report it to the foreign ministers," he said.

He said the Timor Leste question was one of the topics to be discussed by ASEAN senior officials.

For the time being focus will be put on the establishment of ASEAN Community which is one of the targets to be achieved.

He said the officials would also discuss dispute in the South China Sea. In connection with it he said member countries would no longer discuss manuals in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

"We are going to the implementation of DOC because this is an important document," he said.

The SOM is one of the meetings held ahead of the 18th ASEAN Summit. Apart from it there would also be meetings of ASEAN and ASEAN-European Union senior economic officials.

The summit on May 7-8 is to be attended by all heads of state or government of ASEAN member countries. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011