DR RAMOS-HORTA ADDRESS THE 59TH SESSION ON THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW YORK

New York, 29 September 2004
The Senior Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta addressed the 59th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

His Excellency Senior Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs addressed the Assembly for the first time after his 24 years struggling for the Independence of Timor-Leste.

The speech emphasized on current political and economic development of Timor-Leste, the needs to reform the United Nations and international issues of common concern such as appealing on the United States to lift its economic embargo on Cuba as well as calling upon the rich countries to contribute 0.7 per cent of their national GDP to subsidize the agriculture development in the developing countries.

On the United Nations reform, Timor-Leste strongly supports the Franco-Germany initiative and equally support German, India, Indonesia, Brazil and Japan and one or two African countries.

Timor-Leste has addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the third time since it became 191 member of the United Nations. The first Timorese representative to address the United Nations General Assembly was His Excellency Mr. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. The second leader who addressed the UN General Assembly was H.E. Prime Minister, Dr. Mari Alkatiri.

Like other speakers, the Senior Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta’s speech was inspiring and challenging.