The Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers and

Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste

 

 

Díli, April 10, 2010

 

 

Woodside’s development plans will not be approved for Greater Sunrise

 

The Spokesperson of the Government of Timor-Leste, Secretary of State Ágio Pereira, today re-confirmed the Xanana Gusmão Government’s position issued January 13, 2010; the proposed plans of Woodside and the consortium partners to pipe gas from the Greater Sunrise field to either Darwin or a floating LNG would not be approved.

Pereira said “the mechanisms for negotiations regarding the exploration of the Timor Sea have all been established; these include regulator to regulator, meetings of the Joint and Sunrise Commissions and whenever needed the Ministerial Council. Woodside does not have any unilateral authority on decisions regarding the resources of Timor-Leste. Woodside’s assertions in the media are misleading the public and their shareholders.”

‘The country is firmly committed to building an on shore petroleum industry, inclusive of a pipeline to Timor-Leste from the Greater Sunrise field and are equally committed to protecting Timor-Leste’s resources for the benefit of all future generations.”