The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Latvia at a ceremony at the Permanent Mission of Latvia to the United Nations in New York on September 27, 2013.

The Minister of State and of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste, José Luís Guterres, and his Latvian Counterpart, Edgars Rinkevics, signed a joint communiqué establishing diplomatic relations between the two States.

The communiqué expresses the desire between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Republic of Latvia to establish their diplomatic relations on the basis of the principles and purposes of the United Nations and international law particularly on the basis of mutual respect of equality among States, sovereignty, political independence, international treaties, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of another State, as well as of promotion of international peace and security.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between the two States was formalized in accordance with the provision of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 18 April 1961, as of the date of the signing of the Joint Communiqué.

In concluding the ceremony, the Ministers assured each other of the promotion of mutual support and understanding, strengthening bonds of friendship and cooperation among their two States and peoples.