TIMOR-LESTE TAKES PART IN THE 2ND MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE SOUTH WEST PACIFIC DIALOGUE

Senior Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste, H.E. Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta attended the Second Ministerial Meeting of the South West Pacific Dialogue held in New York on 27th September 2003.

The Meeting was chaired by H.E. Mr. Phil Goff, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, and was attended by H.E. Mr. Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, H.E. Mr. Hassan Wirajuda, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, H.E. Rabbie Namaliu, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Papua New Guinea, and H.E.Mr. Blas Ople, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines.

During the meeting, the Ministers had a useful exchange on the thematic issues such as Cooperative Responses to Terrorism, Police to Police Cooperation, 2004 Terrorism Conference, and People Smuggling. The Ministers also had a candid discussion on Indonesia-Australia-Timor-Leste Trilateral cooperation, Indonesia-Timor-Leste Joint Commission, Timor-Leste post UNMISET, South West Pacific Dialogue Scholarships and Regional Assistance Mission to the Salomon Islands led by Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. The 2004 Terrorism Conference will be co-hosted by Indonesia and Australia in Bali in the early of 2004.

At the end of the meeting, the Ministers of the South- West Pacific Dialogue endorsed the Joint Ministerial Statement.