Timor-Leste and Brazil cooperate in the Defence area
The Secretary of State for Defence, Júlio Tomás Pinto, in representation of Minister for Security and Defence, participated in the meeting of the CPLP Defence Ministers, carried out in the city of Brasília, in the Federative Republic of Brazil, in the beginning of November.
The strategy for the development of professionalism of the armed forces was analysed on the first day of the meeting. Coronel Maunana, as Timor-Leste’s representative, presented, to the CPLP delegations, the progress of the F-FDTL development and professionalism, that has as a theme “Conceptual Contextualization of the Military as a Profession in Timor-Leste”, and where the participants were pleased with Timor-Leste’s progress in the Defence area. He also stated that the Timor-Leste State, after the restoration of independence, committed itself in developing a professional armed force but recognized that, to achieve that purpose, it is necessary that Timor-Leste establishes a military cooperation with other countries. Besides that, it is also necessary to complete the regulations, whose military content should be submitted to the political power elected by a democratic process.
On the second day of the meeting the ceremony of transference of the Presidency of the CPLP Defence Ministries was carried out, passing from the representative of the Minister of Defence of Angola, the vice Minister Admiral Gaspar Santos Rufino, to the Minister of Defence of Brazil, Nelson Jobim.
The problem of the political military crisis of Guinea-Bissau was discussed as well as the international issues and their political-military implications in the regional context for the CPLP country members.
When he spoke, Júlio Tomás Pinto showed pride in the fact that Timor-Leste is the only country, in Asia, to speak Portuguese. He also advanced that Timor-Leste has the objective of joining ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), in 2012, since it is, in a geopolitical and geostrategic point of view, a way to guarantee the security and stability and at the same time contribute for regional security. In an economic context, to be ASEAN member, brings benefits to Timor-Leste in the future.
The Secretary of State spoke of the cooperation between Timor-Leste and countries such as Portugal, Brazil, Australia, United States of America and New Zealand and seized the opportunity to sign an agreement, in the Defence area, with the Federative Republic of Brazil.
This is an agreement to develop the cooperation in the technical-military area, for example, the military police training and the support, in the future, in the F-FDTL air component. It also mentions the mutual visit of high level delegations, in the meeting of the representatives of the Defense Institutes, the support to military instructors, cultural events and military sports.
During the visit, Júlio Tomás Pinto was accompanied by the General Director of the Secretariat of State for Defence, João Corte-Real, by the National Director of Planning and International Policy, Martinho Maia Gonçalves and by the Commander of the Support Component to the F-FDTL Service, Coronel Maulana.
