IV CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT

SECRETARIAT OF STATE OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

PRESS RELEASE

Council of Ministers extraordinary meeting of March 12, 2011

This Saturday, March 12, 2011, the Council of Ministers met for an extraordinary meeting at the Council of Ministers’ meeting room in the Government Palace, Díli, and approved:

1. Resolution that approves the dispatch of a support team to Japan

As a consequence of the violent earthquake and consequent tsunami, that affected Japan, and caused a great devastation and a high number of deaths, the Council of Ministers, in an act of solidarity and fraternity (fundamental principles recorded in the Timor-Leste Constitution) decided to approve the dispatch of a team of one hundred persons to help in the debris removal.

Within this week, the Secretary of State for Professional Training and Employment will go to Japan to prepare the arrival of the Timorese that will help Japan during one month, a period that can be extended according to the Japanese necessities. Bendito Freitas will lead this support team, composed of elements of the Falintil-Timor-Leste Defence Forces, Timor-Leste Police Force, Red Cross, youngsters, a small medical team and translators.

The Timor-Leste Prime Minister, having arrived this Saturday from a three week visit abroad, immediately called this Council of Ministers extraordinary meeting, to which he asked for the presence of the Japan Ambassador in Timor-Leste. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão personally presented his condolences to Iwao Kitahara and informed the Japanese Ambassador about the Timorese Government’s intention to prepare the quick dispatch of a support team and to know the country’s most urgent necessities, at this time. Through this personal consultation with Iwao Kitahara, the Council of Ministers’ purpose was to coordinate, in the best way possible, this first mission of a Timor-Leste team giving support to a country that has suffered a natural disaster.