Timor-Leste Takes Part in 17th Asia-Pacific Roundtable

Senior Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Dr. José Ramos-Horta has designated Mr. Roberto Soares, the Secretary General Ad-interim and Director of Regional Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs an Cooperation to attend the 17th Asia-Pacific Roundtable that will held from 6-9 August 2003, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

In his remarks at Tete-a-Tete on Timor-Leste, Mr Roberto Soares said that; much of the worked has been devoted to establishing the necessary institutional structures, working on legislation, regulations and procedures to promote good governance, and strengthening the capacities of the civil service since the handover of the governance from UNTAET to the national government of Timor-Leste on 20 May 2002.

Mr. Soares also seizes the opportunity to express the commitment of Timor-Leste to build and to contribute to peace, security and stability for its citizen and countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Timor-Leste has become a Special Observer in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). The PIF will be the linkage between Timor-Leste and the countries in the Pacific, particularly the small island states, with which we shares a common cultural and historical heritage.

"Timor-Leste will continue to work towards obtaining full membership in the ASEAN Regional Forum. It is view that in the absence of other region wide security arrangements, the ARF serves as the fundamental forum to discuss confidence-building measures to contribute to peace and security in the East Asian and Western Pacific region. Therefore, the inclusion of Timor-Leste in the ARF will contribute further to the regional peace and security", said Mr. Roberto Soares

"Taking into account, Timor-Leste's geographic situation and other strategic considerations, Timorese leaders have decided unanimously the most important regional organization to which Timor-Leste must establish good relations is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. As a nation state in Southeast Asia, Timor-Leste will make efforts to gain admission to this important regional body. His Excellency the Senior Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has been attending the annual ministerial meetings of ASEAN as a guest of the Chairman. Timor-Leste continue to put forward the priorities to lobby and dialogue with the existing member states of ASEAN to gain an Official Observer Status as well as to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation", added Mr. Soares

The Asia Pacific Roundtable was formally open by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The Conference is also attended by more that 200 participants a cross the world.