DR JOSÉ RAMOS-HORTA ARRIVES IN AUSTRALIA AHEAD OF THE 3RD MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE SOUTH WEST PACIFIC DIALOGUE

New York, 24 November 2004
The Noble Peace Prize Laureate and Senior Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste, H.E. Dr. José Ramos-Horta arrives in Melbourne on Tuesday for official visits from 24 – 28 November 2004. During the four days visits H.E. Dr. José Ramos-Horta will hold a bilateral meeting with Premier of Victoria Melbourne and to celebrate democracy in East Timor and friendship city relations with of Ainaro, Bobonaro and Baucau. The Senior Minister will be also addressing the Public Lecture at Her Majesty’s Theater, Ballarat Victoria Melbourne.

On 29 November – 1 December 2004 the Senior Minister will be traveling to Sydney and to hold a bilateral meeting with Premier of Sydney, and to be a keynote speaker at Lowy Institute.

On 2-3 December 2004, H.E. Dr. José Ramos-Horta will be attending the Third Ministerial Meeting of the South West Pacific Dialogue to be held in Adelaide on December 2 – 3, 2004.

The Meeting will be chaired by the Hon. Mr. Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, and will be attending by H.E. Mr. Phil Goff, Minister for Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, H.E. Dr. Hassan Wirajuda, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Rabbie Namaliu, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Papua New Guinea, and H.E. Mr. Albert G. Romulo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines.

The meeting will review the South West Pacific Dialogue Activities, and discuss the Regional Terrorism situation, including the Counter Terrorism Cooperation, related transnational crime and development challenges facing by the dialogue member countries.

During the meeting in Adelaide, H.E. Dr. José Ramos-Horta will be accompanying by His Excellency Ambassador Jorge Teme, RDTL Embassy in Canberra and Mr. Roberto Soares, Director of Regional Affairs Directorate and Acting Director of Public Affairs Directorate of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

H.E. Dr José Ramos-Horta will return to Dili on 4th of December 2004.