| Subject: LUSA: Lisbon
military officer to advise Gusmão on new defense body
East Timor: Lisbon military officer to advise Gusmão on new defense
body
Dili, Jan. 31 (Lusa) - A senior Portuguese Navy officer will advise
President Xanana Gusmão on the setting up of a military support service
for East Timor's head of state, a Lisbon official said Monday.
State Secretary for Defense Jorge Neto, who arrived Sunday on an
official visit to Timor, said Commander Mario Chagas would arrive by March
to advise Gusmão on the creation of the so called "Military
House".
Neto met Monday with Prime Minister Mari Alkitiri and has scheduled
encounters with senior UN envoy Sukehiro Hasegawa and the head of the East
Timor Defense Force, Gen. Taur Matan Ruak.
Before leaving Dili Wednesday, the Lisbon official will sign Portugal's
military cooperation program for 2003-2005 with his couterpart, Roque
Rodrigues.
Portugal has been Timor's main partner in military cooperation, with
Lisbon's funding to the new nations's defense and security services
totaling euros 4 million to date, according to official Dili figures seen
by Lusa.
EL/CJB Lusa
---
East Timor: Lisbon, Dili broaden defense cooperation with new accord
Dili, Feb. 1 31 (Lusa) - East Timor and Portugal signed a new military
cooperation accord Tuesday, continuing and broadening Lisbon's aid to
Dili's fledgling defense forces.
The agreement capped a three-day visit to Dili by Portugal's state
secretary for defense, Jorge Neto, who said Lisbon gave maximum priority
to bilateral military cooperation because of its pivotal role in
guaranteeing East Timorese sovereignty and national identity.
Neto's Timorese counterpart, Roque Rodrigues, underlined the key role
Portugal was playing in organizing and training the country's Defense
Force, which celebrated its fourth anniversary Tuesday.
Rodrigues called attention to Lisbon's aid in special defense sectors,
like the intelligence service.
With some USD 5.4 million in bilateral defense projects under way,
primarily in training programs, Portugal ranks first among Dili's defense
partners, according to Timorese figures.
The accord represented a novelty in that it was the first of its kind
agreed between the two defense ministries.
In the past, Portuguese military aid had fallen under the supervision
of Necessidades Palace, Lisbon's Foreign Ministry.
EL/SAS.
Lusa
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