Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

A paz e a harmonia que durante este ano se verificaram em todo o pais devem ser fonte de inspiração para esta quadra natalícia. Faço votos para que os próximos tempos sejam a continuação de paz e prosperidade duradoiras!

Dame no armonia nebee mosu iha rai laran tomak iha tinan n ee nia laran, tenki sai hu'un ba inspirasaun ba loron boot Natal ida nee. Hau hein katak tempu hirak ba oin sei hatutan no rahun diak no rohan laek!

Peace and harmony enjoyed this year through out the whole country should be a source of inspiration for this Christmas season. I wish that upcoming times shall be a continuation of everlasting peace and harmony.

Ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros

Zacarias Albano da Costa

Year in Review- January 2009

Bangkok

10 to 13 of January 2009

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Zacarias da Costa arrived in Bangkok on January 10, 2009 to accompany H.E. President of the Republic, Dr. Jose Ramos Horta, in his first state visit to the Kingdom of Thailand.

Was Part of the program an audience with His Majesty the King of Thailand, meeting with the Prime Minister of Thailand and his Cabinet.

On January 11th, President of Republic accompany by Minister of Foreign Affairs inaugurated the Embassy of Timor-Leste in Bangkok. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, foreign diplomats and friends attended the ceremony

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste, Dr.zacarias da Costa with
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand Dr. Kasit Piromya

during the inauguration of the Embassy of Timor-Leste

The official visit of the President took place on January 12th, 2009.


H.E. the President and of the Republic and the delegation officially met with H.E. Mr. Aghisit Vejjajiva, the new Prime Minister of Thailand

Presidente Ramos Horta with Prime Minister Aghisit Vejjajiva

At this occasion, both President Ramos Horta and Prime Minister Aghisit Vejjajiva presided the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) between Thailand’s PTT and Timor-Leste .

Secretary of state of Natural Resources Mr. Alfredo Pires signing of the MOU

between Timor-Leste and Thailand's PTT

Both countries renewed as well the MOU on technical cooperation agreement between the República Democratica de Timor-Leste and the Kingdom of Thailand.

The Ramkhamhaeng University conferred the Honorary Doctorate in Political Science on the President.

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej

The President concluded his official visit to Thailand with his audience with the King, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, at Chitlada Palace on January 13, 2009.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste, Dr.zacarias da Costa with
Prime Minister Aghisit Vejjajiva

In the evening, both the President and the Minister for Foreign affairs departed from Bangkok. The President led his delegation to the Philippines while the Minister of Foreign Affairs led his delegation to Europe.

The year in Review - January 2009

January 10 t 21, 2009

The Minister for Foreign Affairs visit to Bangkok, Lisbon, Rome and Brussels

This was the first overseas trip of The Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2009.

President Ramos Horta, Minister Zacarias and
Prime Minister of Thailand

The visit to Bangkok was to accompany H.E. President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, Dr Jose Ramos Horta, I his State Visit to Thailand. Form Bangkok.

From Bangkok Minister Zacarias and his delegation proceed to Lisbon, The Vatican (Rome) and Brussels.

Minister Zacarias da Costa with the CPLP ambassadors accredited
to E.U. and Belgium

During each visit Minister Zacarias da Costa discussed with relevant authorities issues at regional, bilateral and multilateral levels; Issues addressed included the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the areas of capacity building, trade, cultural and education exchanges and the submission of Concordata to the Vatican

Minister Zacarias Albano da Costa andThe Most Reverend

Dominique Mamberti the Secretary for External Affairs of Vatican

The Minister’s program includes the Inauguration of Timor-Leste’s Embassies to the Kingdom of Thailand, Portugal and Timor-Leste Permanent Representative to CPLP in Lisbon.

Taken into consideration of the importance of the Timorese community abroad, the minister also met with Timorese community, students and lay people, in Lisbon and Rome.

In Bangkok - Minister Zacarias da Costa with East Timorese Students

Next : we will cover the trip to Thailand – Bangkok

The Year in Review - MNE during 2009

The Year in review with Photographic Coverage and relevant news

We will be publishing on this blog, a review of major activities involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of RDTL during the year of 2009.

View of the Ministry's Garden

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste reiterates Timor-Leste’s support for Portugal's candidacy to Security Council

Minister Zacarias da Costa with Secretary of State Joao Cravinho

11 of December 2009

The Foreign Minister of Timor-Leste, Dr. Zacarias Albano da Costa, yesterday assured the Secretary of State for International Cooperation of Portugal, Dr. Joao Cravinho, the support of Timor-Leste for Portugal’s candidacy for a Non-Permanent Seat in the United Nations Security Council.

The two met to discuss of bilateral and broader issues outside the Forum on Democracy, held in Bali, Indonesia.

“Timor-Leste is determined to support Portugal’s candidacy and its diplomatic missions are instructed to work to build support, especially the missions in the Asia-Pacific region," Dr. da Costa said.

They also discussed the Programa Indicativo de Cooperação (PIC) and the expansion of the Cluster Project, which is considered a breakthrough in the cooperative relationship between Portugal and Timor-Leste.

Official visits of the Prime Minister of Portugal to Timor-Leste of Dr da Costa to Portugal were other issues discussed.

Both visits would be the first official visits during the term of the current government of Timor-Leste.

Timor-Leste intends to open a consular agency in the UK

Minister Zacarias da Costa

Timor-Leste has advised the United Kingdom of its intention to open a Consular Agency attached to the Consulate of Portugal in Manchester, UK.

Timor-Leste Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Zacarias Albano da Costa, advised the UK’s Ambassador to Timor-Leste of the intention during a meeting outside the Forum of Democracy in Bali, Indonesia.

There are around three thousand East-Timorese with Portuguese nationality living in United Kingdom, mainly in Northern Ireland, Manchester and Oxford.

“They need support from the Timor-Leste Government,” Dr da Costa said.

“We are moving to open the consular agency to provide that support to our emigrant citizens.”

Other topics discussed during the meeting included the extension of UNMIT, Timor-Leste’s safety situation, economic development, education, and public administration, and Timor-Leste’s bid for membership of ASEAN.

Ambassador Hatfull said that his government would continue to provide scholarships that would enable Timorese students to pursue their studies in the United Kingdom to gain professional expertise and qualification needed to help Timor-Leste move forward.

The Maldives wants to sign Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation with Timor-Leste

Minister Zacarias da Costa with Minister Ahmed Shaheed

The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives, Ahmed Shaheed, today expressed the desire of his government to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Maldives and Timor-Leste.
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"There is potential for cooperation between our two countries, and we can set some priority areas through a Memorandum of Understanding," he said at a bilateral meeting with his East Timorese counterpart alongside the Forum of Democracy in Bali, Indonesia.

Also discussed was an exchange of official visits at Foreign Minister level, and regional and international issues including the issue of the candidacy of the Maldives for the UN Human Rights Council, Guantanamo, Myanmar, and Portugal's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Timor-Leste Foreign Minister, Dr Zacarias da Costa, assured Mr Shaheed of, Timor-Leste’s support for the Maldives’ bid for membership of the Human Rights Council. He said Mr Shaheed responded positively to Timor-Leste’s request for support for the candidacy of Portugal to a non-permanent seat in the United Nations’ Security Council.