Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta urges ASEAN unity to resolve Myanmar crisis and ease South China Sea tensions through dialogue and diplomacy.
KUALA LUMPUR: ASEAN must remain united and serve as a bridge between global powers to prevent escalating tensions in the South China Sea and help resolve Myanmar’s crisis, said Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate told Bernama that ASEAN’s decades of diplomatic experience give it a unique position to promote dialogue amid growing superpower rivalries.
“ASEAN has the potential to be a bridge builder between the conflicting rivalries of the major powers,” he said in an exclusive interview.
“It has prestige, it has credibility, and it can very well more actively pursue a solution for the crisis in Myanmar.”
Ramos-Horta suggested ASEAN’s quiet diplomacy and collective engagement could succeed where unilateral approaches have failed.
On the South China Sea dispute, he stressed the region must avoid confrontation by maintaining freedom of navigation and reducing military build-up.
“No claimant state will back down. The solution is to freeze claims and make the South China Sea a sea of peace and partnership,” he said.
“Allow only traditional fishing and stop overfishing, that will also prevent clashes between fleets.”
He noted such arrangements could ease tensions while promoting sustainable resource management and maritime cooperation.
Ramos-Horta expressed optimism that both China and the United States could support ASEAN-led peace initiatives if diplomacy remains central.
Beyond geopolitics, the Timorese leader shared his vision for inclusive economic development through job creation.
“What is more important for a developing country, collecting taxes or creating jobs? If we prioritise jobs, prosperity follows,” he said.
He emphasised that employment opportunities must form the foundation for uplifting citizens’ livelihoods and national growth. – Bernama
