Joint Communiqué on the bilateral meeting and Memorandum of Understanding between Timor-Leste and Portugal regarding the sector of Defence
25 November, 2014
Díli, Timor-Leste
JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ
BILATERAL MEETING BETWEEN THE PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND SECURITY OF TIMOR-LESTE AND THE NATIONAL DEFENCE MINISTER OF PORTUGAL
SIGNING OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
The Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Security, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão and the Minister of National Defence from Portugal, held a meeting this Tuesday, November 25th, at the Government Palace, in Dili, in order to discuss mutual interest issues in the area of Defence and to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between both countries.
Timor-Leste took the opportunity, during this first Visit of the Minister of National Defence to our country, to thank Portugal for its continuous support, during the last twelve years, in the development of the Defence Sector and, in particular, on the professionalisation and modernization of FALINTIL – Defence Forces of Timor-Leste (F-FDTL).
Portugal highlighted the good existing relationship between the Armed Forces of both countries and reaffirmed Portugal’s support towards the on-going consolidation of the Defence sector in Timor-Leste, especially in training and the support towards building an aerial component in the future.
The Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Security, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão and the Portuguese Minister of National Defence, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, in an expanded bilateral meeting, addressed issues such as the challenges and threats to security, stability and peace, the CPLP security and defense identity and the technical and military cooperation between the F-FDTL and the Portuguese Armed Forces.
They considered that cooperation in the area of Defence is particularly important to address the threats that the global community faces, and affirmed the commitment to work together with the other CPLP countries, towards the consolidation of modern and professional Defence Forces, able to respond either aid or humanitarian intervention, peace-keeping operations or even on helping in case of natural catastrophes.
By remembering that the Portuguese language is one of the official languages of Timor-Leste, alongside Tétum, by recognizing that its consolidation is essential towards the relationship between both countries – and amongst the CPLP countries – and reaffirming the commitments of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Portuguese Republic, in the areas of cooperation and consolidation of the Portuguese language, both signed a Memorandum of Understanding towards the building and operation of the Portuguese Language Centre, under the Education and Training Component of the F-FDTL in Metinaro (Díli).
By recognizing that cooperation in the area of Defence reinforces mutual trust and is a key example of the friendship between both countries, Timor-Leste and Portugal agreed on narrowing even further the cooperation bonds between both countries.
