UNOTIL

Daily Press Review

Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources

Daily Media Review Thursday, 28 July 2005

New Government Structures

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri on Wednesday announced the new government restructure saying that the new structure is one of inclusion not composed only of Fretilin members. Alkatiri also said the changes within the government are required to attend to the needs of the people and to advance government programmes. In separate articles, MP Rui Menezes (PD) said the increase in the government is more a political than economic issue. MP Lucia Lobato (PSD) said the change in the government is a political strategy to prepare the grounds for 2007 elections. Salvador Saldanha, Director of Timor Institution Development Studies said that the bigger government structures would mean more corruption. (TP, DT, STL,TVTL)

TL Government Hopes the UN Will Not Support an International Tribunal

The Timor-Leste government wants to focus on the Truth and Friendship Commission (TFC) as a means of resolving the 1999 human rights violations and hopes members of the UN Security Council will not support the recommendations presented by the Commission of Experts to establish an international tribunal. “Personally, I have met with members of the Security Council and explained our commitment to cooperate with Indonesia regarding this matter through the TFC,” Timor-Leste Ambassador to the United Nations, José Luís Guterres said on Wednesday. Guterres said that the establishment of an international tribunal would not be an effective solution and Indonesia would also not accept the establishment of an international tribunal. He added that the UN Secretary-General has presented the CoE recommendations to the UN Security Council pending discussion. (DT)

President Gusmão Receives Four New Credentials

On Wednesday, President Gusmão received letters of credentials from Ambassador Griffiths Memela of the Republic South Africa, Ambassador Achilleas Antoniedas of Cyprus, Ambassador Mohamad Buba Ahmed of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Ambassador Leiatua Kilifoti Eleneati from the Independent State of Samoa. While the two latter ambassadors reside in Jakarta and are accredited to Timor-Leste, Ambassador Achilleas Antoniedas of Cyprus resides in Canberra, Australia. (TP, STL, TVTL)

Retrial of RTTM Case

Four men accused of trying to establish a new nation called Republika Timor Tasi Mane (RTTM) have reappeared in Dili District Tribunal. They were detained in April 9 for hoisting their own flag saying there have been no changes in Timor-Leste since the restoration of independence. (TP)

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