East Timor eager for ASEAN ties

East Timor eager for ASEAN ties

KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): East Timorese independence leaders voiced eagerness on Wednesday to build a "new relationship" with Southeast Asian nations they once bitterly slammed for backing Indonesia's 24-year occupation of the territory.

Speaking in Kuala Lumpur at the end of trip to several Asian nations, independence leader Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao said the foundation of closer ties had been laid between Southeast Asia and a newly independent East Timor.

Xanana and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta said they had a "very successful" trip to China, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia, where they met government leaders and were assured of aid ranging from the training of East Timorese government officers, to the building of schools and food production.