Participation of eminent persons underscores importance of Maritime Boundary issue to Timor-Leste

Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and

Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste

 Díli, June 30th, 2015

Participation of eminent persons underscores importance of Maritime Boundary issue to Timor-Leste

Yesterday the inaugural meeting of the Consultative Commission of the Council for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

The Chairman of the Commission, Prime Minister H.E. Dr. Rui Maria de Araújo met with former President H.E. Dr. José Ramos-Horta, former President, former Prime Minister and current Minister for Planning and Strategic Investment H.E. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, former Prime Minister and current Minister of State, Coordinator of Economic Affairs and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries H.E. Estanislau da Silva, former President of Parliament H.E. Francisco Guterres Lú-Olo, Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers H.E. Agio Pereira, Minister of State, Coordinator of State Administration Affairs and Justice and Minister of State Administration H.E. Dr. Dionísio Babo Soares, Minister of Finance H.E. Santina Cardoso, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation H.E. Roberto Soares [representing Minister H.E. Hernâni Coelho] and Chief Executive Officer of the Maritime Boundary Office, Ms. Elizabeth Exposto.

Apologies were received from former Prime Minister H.E. Dr. Mari Alkatiri, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources H.E. Alfredo Pires and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation H.E. Hernâni Coelho.

The Prime Minister welcomed all the commissioners participating and went on to explain the role of the entity, established under law as the supreme consultative body to make recommendations to the head of government on issues relating to the delimitation of maritime boundaries. Commissioners shared observations and insights on the maritime boundary issue with Minister of State Agio Pereira reflecting on the most recent developments.

A technical briefing was presented by the Chief Executive Officer of the Maritime Boundary Office. The office, currently set up in the Diplomatic Training Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, is responsible for the executive management of the Council and coordinates all efforts toward securing final boundaries.

The Consultative Commission and the Maritime Boundary Office along with the Negotiation Team are the three entities established by Government Decree Law on the Council for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries passed in April this year. The Council is a government agency accountable directly to the Prime Minister.

Minister of State and Spokesperson for the Sixth Constitutional Government, Agio Pereira noted “yesterday’s first meeting of the Commission with esteemed and eminent Timorese personalities, all gathered around the maritime boundary issue with a spirit of determination, diligence and dignity, strongly underscores the importance of maritime boundary delimitation to Timor-Leste and its priority as an issue of national sovereignty.”

The Consultative Commission will meet again next month.

url: http://timor-leste.gov.tl?lang=en&p=12616