22 September 2009

Timor Leste: Visit to the United Nations General Assembly

MINISTERIO DOS NEGOCIOS ESTRANGEIROS Divisao de Relacoes Pubicas Media Release 21 September 2009 Visit to the United Nations General Assembly


H.E. the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste Dr. Zacarias Albano da Costa is in New York to attend the 64th session of United Nations General Assembly

Dr Zacarias da Costa will deliver his speech in the General Assembly on the 28 of September 2009.

Dr da Costa said that : “This year the Assembly will focus on the important challenges the world is facing such as : climate change, the global economic crisis , nuclear non proliferation and disarmament and the Millennium Development Goals. It is important to take an active part so we can also participate in the process of setting standards in those issues.”

On the 16th of September 2009, Timor-Leste became the last Government to officially deposit the instruments of accession to the ozone protection treaties, making the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer the most adhered agreements in the history of the United Nations with 196 participating States.” We want also take a very participative part in debates on climate change and contribute in the process of making better progress in this challenging issue” said Dr Zacarias da Costa

In the area of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament Dr Da Costa welcomes any work in the area and “thou Timor-Leste is a small country , we want also to take an active part in discussions and look forward to working with international community to strengthen global no-proliferation and make effective progress on disarmament”.

H.E. the Minister of Foreign Affairs will also be part of a Ministerial Roundtable, with the foreign affairs ministers of Australia, Netherlands and Rwanda, to discuss the aspects of Responsibility to Protect principle (R2P).

During the stay in New York, Dr Zacarias Albano da Costa will have the opportunity to meet with a broad range of other foreign ministers, and will hold bilateral meetings

In addition “I will also hold a Trilateral Meeting with Australia’s Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Wirajuda to discuss regional issues of common interest between Australia, East Timor and Indonesia.”

For more information please contact:
Maria-Gabriela Carrascalao H
Media Advisor
Ministerio dos Negocios Estrangeiros

Tel: +61- 417 050 754

Email : maria.heard@mne.gov.tl or mgabrielacarrascalaoh@gmail.com

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