MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND COOPERATION HOLD REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION WORKSHOP

Dili, 13 July 2004
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste and the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) of Malaysia will co-host the Timor-Leste Workshop on Regional Economic Integration which will be held in Hotel Timor, Dili, from 14th – 16th of July 2004.

The Workshop is funded by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) of Japan.

Mr. Roberto Soares, Director of Regional Affairs Directorate and Workshop Coordinator said that the objective of this workshop is to explore a number of policy options or alternative modes of regional economic cooperation for Timor-Leste, not only in terms of types of regional schemes ranging from Free Trade Area to Economic Union, but also in the contextual terms of geographical configuration.

Mr. Soares also said that the workshop will begins with welcoming remarks by Mr. Roberto Soares, Director of Regional Affairs Directorate and Workshop Coordinator, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Mohamed Ariff, Executive Director, Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) as well as an Introductory Remarks by Dr Akinori Seki, Executive Director, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) of Japan. The workshop will be officially addressed and open by His Excellency Mr. Nelson Santos Secretary-General of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and will attending by more than 40 participants from various entities; government officials, academicians and several outstanding national and international non-governmental organizations in Timor-Leste.