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resident José Maria Vasconcelos, popularly known as Taur Matan Ruak, is visiting Jakarta.

This is his first official visit to Indonesia and first official overseas trip after being installed as president of Timor Leste over a year ago. This is also a reciprocal visit, after a visit by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Dili in May last year to attend the 10th anniversary of the Restoration of Timor Leste Independence and Matan Ruak'€™s inauguration as the country'€™s third president.

The visit by Matan Ruak is important not only for his country, which is bidding for membership of ASEAN and seeking both financial and technical assistance for its development programs; but also for Indonesia, infamous for its '€œnegative image'€ built during its 24-year rule of Timor Leste.

For its part, Indonesia has been supportive of Timor Leste'€™s quest for ASEAN membership. Indonesia has also been helpful with its neighboring country'€™s need for energy, telecommunication and other infrastructure development.

On the other hand, Timor Leste '€” particularly through its founding president and now Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão '€” has offered a welcoming hand to build a strong bilateral relationship on the basis of forward-looking policies, leaving behind bad memories of the past.

Indonesia is undoubtedly an important neighbor as it is Timor Leste'€™s largest trading partner, with the two countries sharing history and more than 90 percent of their land borders. Indonesia also benefits from trade relations with Timor Leste, enjoying a huge export surplus that supports the two countries'€™ good relations.

There are a number of bilateral matters that need further discussion, such as the proposal on integrated economic development in the oil and gas sector, the promotion of Indonesia'€™s exports to several countries through Timor Leste, the supply of materials for Timor Leste'€™s major airport, seaport and power plant projects, as well as border disputes, bilateral trade and other sensitive issues.

Ruak is tasked with bringing the country out of poverty and delivering it equal weighting among Southeast Asia'€™s countries.

There are sensitive issues that might hamper both countries'€™ paths toward a long-lasting bilateral and mutual relationship.

The visit by the Timor Leste president is, therefore, expected to help settle all the residual problems and finalize the terms of agreement for all the already agreed projects and technical assistance.