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Statement at Pacific Island Forum Meeting, Sheraton Hotel,
New Zealand, 15 August 2003
Madam Chair, Secretary General, distinguished leaders, ladies
and gentlemen
It is a great honour for me to participate for the firs time
in this, the 34th Pacific Island Forum. Timor-Leste is faced with
many of the same economic, political and environmental issues
as with many of the small Pacific Island Nation states. The Pacific
Island Forum provides Timor-Leste with the opportunity to learn,
and to share our own experiences from the difficult task of nation
building.
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clarke said yesterday of the
Pacific Islands, "the same waves break on all our shores",
so too do they break on Timor-Leste shores. Timor-Leste is enriched
by being centrally located between South East Asia and the Pacific.
As a result we have strong cultural roots from both regions.
I represent with pride, the newest independent country in the
world. I am deeply grateful to the member states of the Pacific
Islands Forum, for the Australian led intervention in 1999 to
restore law and order. Of the Pacific Island Forum countries New
Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and Vanuatu, also contributed to this restoration
and maintenance of peace and security in Timor-Leste.
I also want to take this opportunity to commend the leaders of
the Pacific Island Forum for their contribution to the re-establishment
of law and order in the Solomon Islands.
I recognise there needs to be regional cooperation in international
security, as terrorism and trans-national crime affect us all.
Timor-Leste is committed to the fight for regional and international
peace and security.
However our democracy is still very fragile. Our human capacity
and institutions of security are not yet adequate to effectively
handle either internal or external security threats. Of the estimated
27,000 Timorese people living in the refugee camps on the border
in West Timor a significant amount are former militias. This poses
a serious threat to domestic security. Last year saw some violent
incursions. In view of this fragility, Timor-Leste seeks your
support for the continuation of a reduced United Nations security
force after the expected termination of the UNMISET mandate next
year. UNMISET has been a great success and without them our security
personnel would not have developed as they have. However they
still need further capacity building in order to adequately cope
with the challenges that face us.
As with members of the Pacific Island Forum, Timor-Leste shares
the objectives of good governance including, regional security,
the maintenance of a healthy environment, the elimination of poverty
and sustainable social and economic development.
We are faced with the daunting task of building our new nation
from scratch. One of our key achievements has been the establishment
of a National Development Plan. This was created through consultation
with thousands of people across the country, civil society and
key members of the community. Our plan considers the development
of education, health, agriculture and infrastructure as priorities
for out future.
We are in the process of establishing effective systems and structures,
strengthening administration at all levels, and promoting democratic
and transparent governance.
For example, without adequate infrastructure by which our local
media can disseminate information to the communities, our solution
has been for the Council of Ministers to participate in interactive
dialogue with local people throughout the districts. This helps
us to govern transparently and to involve the people of Timor-Leste
in this critical phase of nation building. We want to ensure that
we consider the aspirations, and concerns of the people. To support
this open governance program, a key element will be the establishment
of a Government Information Office as resources and funding become
available.
I hope Timor-Leste can contribute with our own wisdom of experience
to the prosperity and strength of the region and given our geographical
position we hope to play a bridging role between the Pacific Islands
and member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations
in such areas as trade and economic interaction.
I wish to express my gratitude to all member states of the Pacific
Island Forum for your support, solidarity and friendship for our
special observer status which has enabled Timor-Leste to join
ACP, and our accession to the Cotonou Agreement. We hope that
in due course Timor-Leste will be able to participate in the Pacific
Regional Indicative Program under the framework of the ACP-EU
cooperation.
Finally, a predominant focus of the Pacific Island Forum has
been the independence of colonized or occupied territories and
assisting small island states on the path to formal self-determination.
Although, Timor-Leste is independent, it has never had permanent
maritime boundaries. I would like to seek your support in our
pursuit of establishing our territorial integrity. This includes
the right to know the limits of our territory and what natural
resources are ours.
In conclusion, I'd like to thank you Prime Minister, Helen Clarke,
your Government, and the people of Aotearoa for your friendship
and warm hospitality which have been extended so graciously to
me and my delegation.
Thank you.
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