Written Answers. - Official Engagements.
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:
58
Ms Shortall
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
the matters discussed and conclusions reached at the meeting between the Minister of State and President Gusmão of Timor Leste; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26726/03]
Pat Breen
Ceist:
102
Mr. P. Breen
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
if he will make a statement on the current political situation in East Timor.
[26816/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 102 together.
President Xanana Gusmão of Timor Leste, the official name for East Timor, paid an official visit to Ireland on 17 and 18 October. In the course of his visit he had meetings with me and the Taoiseach. In these meetings, the President gave a briefing on the challenges facing Timor Leste and thanked Ireland for its strong moral and financial support. He spoke of the particular needs in the areas of education, security and infrastructure. He expressed the hope that the Timorese people, currently in West Timor, who wished to return to their homes in the east, could be encouraged to do so and that the process of reconciliation would continue to move forward. He hoped that militias in West Timor, which were still involved in incursions into Timor Leste, could be moved elsewhere in Indonesia. He said that an outstanding issue with Indonesia is border demarcation, both on land and in maritime terms. Referring to the UN operation in Timor Leste, he hoped that the mandate of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Timor Leste would be extended for another period.
The Deputy will be aware that Timor Leste became a sovereign state on 20 May 2002. A decision to establish diplomatic relations with Timor Leste was taken by the Government shortly afterwards, on 15 October 2002. In my capacity as Minister of State with responsibility for development co-operation and human rights, I visited Timor Leste from 9 to 13 March 2003. Following that visit, I announced that Timor Leste had been designated our seventh programme country. This announcement was recognition of the significant progress made to date in Timor Leste, and of our continuing commitment to the political and socio-economic development of the country, including to the promotion of good governance and human rights in these crucial formative years. The country strategy we have agreed for the country – a standard premise for engagement with our programme countries – covers the period 2003-05 and provides for funding of more than €11 million.
In their efforts to build a nation, the people of Timor Leste have shown great political maturity, and good progress has been made in the establishment of democracy there. Free and fair elections to a constituent assembly and for the position of President were held in 2002. Every effort is being made by the new government to consolidate the fragile democratic institutions and the rule of law. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Timor Leste gave a briefing to the Security Council on 15 October 2003. He said that the advances and gains since independence had been remarkable, especially in areas such as governance, enactment of legislation, rehabilitation of infrastructure and, most importantly, the commitment to democratic norms and personal freedoms.
The current focus is on building and developing local government, and it is hoped that local government elections will be held later this year. Reforms are also under way in the public service, including the police and the judicial service. We welcome the Government of Timor Leste's commitment to respect human rights. In this regard, a national commission for reception, truth and reconciliation has been established, and is in the process of investigating human rights abuses in the period leading up to independence. Diplomatic relations have been established with Indonesia, and a special commission is in the process of delineating the border between the two countries.
Question No. 59 answered with Question No. 50.
