Singapore, May 31 (AseanAll)  — On May 31, 2025, the President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, J. Ramos-Horta spoke at an important security meeting in Singapore called the Shangri-La Dialogue. The Nobel Peace Laureate warned that weapons are spreading too quickly across Asia-Pacific countries, creating serious dangers for the region.

Ramos-Horta explained that the Asia-Pacific has many countries with nuclear weapons and large armies that spend heavily on defense. The President was worried about how fast missile technology is improving and spreading. Many countries are building better missiles that can fly at extremely high speeds and hit targets very far away. Some countries are even selling this dangerous technology to others.

The President said several things are making this problem worse. Countries in the region don’t trust each other and compete for power. Important agreements that used to limit certain weapons have been cancelled, like the treaty that controlled medium-range nuclear missiles. Many countries in the region haven’t signed important arms control treaties, and there aren’t enough rules or ways to enforce the agreements that do exist.

Ramos-Horta said Timor-Leste is watching these developments with growing concern. President called for countries to work together better on security talks and to have stricter controls on selling weapons technology. President also announced that Timor-Leste will officially join ASEAN in October, which is an important step for the country’s progress toward lasting peace and democracy.