The Secretary of State for Land and Property, Jaime Xavier Lopes, and the Ambassador of Indonesia for Timor-Leste signed, on February 26th, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, in Díli, and hand-over agreement of land, of about 2.500 square meters, aimed for the construction of an Indonesian Cultural Centre in the Timorese Capital City.

After the signature of the agreement, the Secretary of State for Land and Property thanked Indonesia, through its Ambassador, for the initiative. “We hope that the construction of this cultural centre might strengthen, even more, the relationship between Indonesia and        Timor-Leste and we ask Indonesia to build this cultural centre, as soon as possible”, referred Jaime Xavier Lopes.

The Ambassador of Indonesia in Timor-Leste, Primanto Hendrasmono, thanked the State of Timor-Leste for the transfer of the land, and guaranteed that Indonesia will make an effort for the cultural centre to be quickly finished. Primanto Hendrasmono still explained that this agreement follows the official visit of the President Taur Matan Ruak to Indonesia, last year. “We want this Cultural Centre to strengthen relationships between the communities of both countries. Apart from the activities related to music, we want to develop others, as the strengthening in the area of small businesses”, added the Ambassador of Indonesia in Timor-Leste.

After the signature of the agreement, the technical team of Jakarta, along with the team of Timor-Leste, composed of technicians from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and of the Secretary of State for Land and Property, carried out a data collection on the given land, which is close to the Díli Conventions Centre. The launch of the foundation stone is foreseen for June of 2014.

Apart from the Secretary of State for Land and Property and the Ambassador of Indonesia, were also present, at the signature of the agreement, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Secretary of State for Art and Culture, the Ambassador of Timor-Leste in the Vatican, the Ambassador of Timor-Leste in Portugal and staff and technicians of Timor-Leste and Indonesia.