Dr. Ramos-Horta Ends Official Visit To Japan

Friday 25 April 2003

At the end of a three-day official visit to Japan, Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Timor-Leste's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, said, " I am deeply grateful for the warm hospitality we have been accorded. Japan has been a generous friend of Timor-Leste, it is our most important development partner in terms of its share of contribution to our overall budgetary and development needs. The Foreign Minister Ms Yoriko Kawaguchi has assured me that Japan stands by its pledge to provide Timor-Leste with $60 million in bi-lateral aid for the three years starting May last year when it made the pledge".

The delegation headed by Dr. Ramos-Horta included the Deputy Minister of Agriculture Mr Francisco S. Benevides, the Secretary of State for Public Works Mr. Joao Alves, and Mr. Francisco Cepeda of the Bi-lateral affairs division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

During the three-day visit Dr Ramos-Horta met with the following officials: Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms Y Kawaguchi, Minister of State for Defence S.Ishiba, President of JICA Mr Kawakami, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Yano, President of NHK TV Mr Ebisawa, President of Japan External Trade Organization, Mr Tsukamoto and Members of the Japanese Diet.

During the visit, Dr Ramos-Horta assured his Japanese counterpart that Timor-Leste will open an Embassy in Tokyo during the next fiscal year. Addressing a meeting Friday afternoon of members of the Parliamentary League for Timor-Leste, the Foreign Minister said: "Japan is very important, it is a global player, a friend of Timor-Leste, and hence we are determined to open an Embassy here."

Throughout his visit Dr. Ramos-Horta conveyed a strong message of confidence in his country's future, appealing to Japan to continue to stay engaged in Timor-Leste, and to Japanese business sector and NGOs to have a stronger presence in the country.

Dr. Ramos-Horta and delegation leaves Saturday 26th April 2003 for Bali. Dr. Ramos-Horta will attend the Second Ministerial meeting on people's smuggling and human trafficking due to take place in Denpasar April 29-30.