JAKARTA -- East Timor's accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, has received considerable attention in diplomatic circles since November, when leaders from the bloc agreed "in principle" to admit the island state as its 11th member. But experts caution that the tiny country of 1.3 million people still has much to do to meet the expectations of existing members.
International relations
East Timor faces economic challenges ahead of joining ASEAN
Talent, financial deficits weigh on tiny state also caught up in China-U.S. tussle
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, right, welcomes here East Timorese counterpart, Adaljiza Magno, during the 32nd ASEAN Coordinating Council meeting in Jakarta on Feb. 3. © Reuters
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