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Dili, 1st March 2018
Press Release
Signing of the Agreement between Timor-Leste and Australia, in New York
On March 6th, in New York and in the presence of the Secretary-General of the UN, António Guterres, Timor-Leste and Australia will sign the new treaty on the maritime borders delimitation between the two countries. The agreement will be signed by the current Deputy Minister of the Prime Minister for the Delimitation of Borders, Agio Pereira, on behalf of Timor-Leste and by the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, on behalf of Australia.
Contrary to what was expected the signing ceremony of the agreement will not be attended by the current Prime Minister of Australia, Malcom Turnbull, nor by the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Marí Alkatiri. “The content of the agreement to be signed by Timor-Leste and Australia is related to the maritime border delimitation between the two countries and does not dwell on exploitation aspects of the Greater Sunrise. It has already been officially confirmed that the Prime Minister of Australia will not attend the signing ceremony, therefore it also makes no sense for the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste to travel to New York on March 6th”, as stated by the current leader of the Seventh Constitutional Government.
After signature, the treaty will have to be ratified by the parliaments of Timor-Leste and Australia, coming into effect in the domestic legal framework of both countries. ENDS