[Poster's note: Long repeats of international articles already sent out
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UNOTIL
Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international
sources
Daily Media Review
Friday, September 23rd 2005
National Media Reports
President Gusmão on UN Reforms and the MDG’s
Timor-Leste President Xanana Gusmão has said that even though there has
not yet been any reforms to the United Nations system, the UN is considering
two different models for reform, one involving an increase in the number of
permanent members in the Security Council, and one which involves a rotating
system, where additional members can participate in meetings, without the
right to vote or veto. Speaking to journalists at the Nicolau Lobato
International Airport on Wednesday upon his return from the United Nations
General Assembly meeting on the Millennium Development Goals held in New
York last week, Gusmão explained that the many members of the UN are
consulting each other to decide on the most suitable reform model that is
acceptable to all parties. Commenting on progress toward the Millennium
Development Goals established in 2000, the President said that many nations
are still struggling to resolve internal conflicts, and thus have been
unable to focus on other concerns such as combating serious illnesses. (TP)
Vice Minister Magno: No Negative Impact Due to Absence of Ambassadors
Even though Timor-Leste has not yet nominated two new people to fill the
Ambassador’s posts of Malaysia and Australia, this does not impact
negatively on Timor-Leste, according to Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs
and Cooperation Adalgiza Magno. Speaking to journalists at the International
Airport on Thursday, Magno explained that this process is in the hands of
the President, and it is up to him to nominate the Ambassadors. She said
that she hopes these posts will be filled soon, because even though there is
no negative impact as such from the unfilled posts, it is still better that
they are not left vacant for too long. (TP)
Two People Injured in Shooting in Border Region
The undecided land border between Timor-Leste and Indonesia continues to
affect the people of the border regions. Oecussi District Commander of the
Border Patrol Unit Joaquim Asqueli has reported a shooting assault from
residents of Nululat, West Timor, which injured two Passabe, Oecussi
residents. The two victims were injured when bullets were fired from rifles
carried by the Nululat residents, injuring one person in the throat and the
other in the thigh. The two victims are currently undergoing treatment in
Oecussi Regional Hospital, but they will need to be transferred to the
National Hospital in Dili to have the bullets removed from their bodies.
Commander Asqueli confirmed that his relevant commander is coordinating with
the relevant TNI Commander to resolve the incident, and that cases of
conflict between residents on both sides of the border have arisen three
times so far in the month of September. (TP)
F-FDTL Chief of Staff, Lere Anan: CPD-RDTL Creating Instability
The activities of the CPD-RDTL in Suai are creating instability among the
local population, according to the Chief of Staff of the F-FDTL, Colonel
Lere Anan Timor. Speaking to journalists after returning from a visit to
Suai, Covalima District, Lere Anan said that when conducting controls in the
area during his visit there, he and his patrol received information from the
local population that the CPD-RDTL are lying to and collecting money from
the population, stealing animals, disturbing people at night, and in general
creating a climate of fear. “We will try and find out their base, and gather
some more information, but the F-FDTL is unable to take action against the
group”, said Lere Anan. According to Anan, matters such as these are the
realms of the police, as the F-FDTL only responds to external threats, or in
an emergency situation. (STL)
Clementino Amaral: Timor-Leste and Indonesia Should Address Border
Conflicts
Speaking to the media yesterday, Vice President of National Parliament’s
Commission B in charge of Security and Foreign Affairs, Clementino dos Reis
Amaral was quoted as saying that both Government of Timor-Leste and
Indonesia should quickly resolve the [recent] border conflicts taking place
in Ambeno, Oecusse District. “We notice that the relations between the two
countries in the government and the state level have been very good.
However, there are still small problems among the residents. Therefore, both
Governments should have dialogue and find the solutions for the existing
problems,” Amaral said.
Amaral has been insisting both Government of Timor-Leste and Indonesia to
always involve the residents living in the border areas whenever negotiating
on border demarcation. This, he argued, any border conflicts would be
avoided since the residents in the border areas are the only ones who know
much better about the [real] situation in the field. Meanwhile, in a
separate news it was reported that Amaral expressed his feelings of
satisfaction yesterday with the fact that UN has shown its respect and
confidence towards Timor-Leste’s National Police Force, PNTL by having 10
officers to be involved in the peacekeeping mission in both Kosovo and
Liberia. Amaral urged the selected ten officers to work professionally in
the two missions in which they are going to offer their services. With
professionalism shown by officers, he said, will create a good image of
Timor-Leste in the international arena. (STL& Diario Nacioal)
MP Lopes: PM Alkatiri Has Got No Evidence to Accusation Opposition Party
(ies) Over the Incident During Xefi Aldeia Election
The Secretary-General of Democratic Party, Mariano S. Lopes told media
(22 Sept) that the PM Mari Alkatiri has got no evidence to accuse opposition
party/ies of being involved in tearing the picture of Fretilin candidate for
Xefi Aldeia election during Xefi Aldeia election process in Becussi Kraik/
Becora, STL reported. He added that the opposition party/ies did not exist
and that it was only the civilian population who were to vote. MP Mariano
Sabino Lopes made the above statement to the media on Thursday, Sept 22nd at
the National Parliament’s. “I think those accusations have got no grounds,
the incident (of tearing picture) was maybe because of the injustice
treatment towards the voters or the voters felt that they have not been
treated unsatisfactorily during the election process but not because of the
opposition(s),” Lopes clarified. It was further reported to use the incident
as a reflection for STAE and those in power to better prepare election.
Since there have been many incidents (of manipulations) have occurred during
the election, such as, in Liquica district where the voting box (es) for was
(were) left open where the secrecy of the voters were not guaranteed. He
stressed that PM Alkatiri should use appropriate terminology to refer to
some one instead of using (his/her or their) political function(s) since
those political affiliation(s) do not exist at the Day of Election. (STL)
Minister of Justice, Sarmento: Timor-Leste Expects to Implement Three
Decrees on Code of Conducts
The Minister of Justice, Domingos Sarmento, told media that the three
decrees that cover the code of penal, the process of penal code and the
civilian code process that his ministry currently is preparing are only
queuing to be applied to improve the judicial system as well as Timor-Leste
as a country, Diario reported. He furthered that the National Parliament had
approved the three decrees and that the President of the Republic has also
promulgated them. The only awaiting aspect would be legislative
authorization to the government to turn the three decrees into the code of
penal, the process of penal code and the civilian code process. The report
also mentioned that the justice ministry is also waiting to present the
referred three decrees to the Council of Minister for its better
consideration/observation. (STL, p 1)
Regional Media Reports
British Buy-up Pumps Oilfield
THE prospect of a revitalised Laminaria/Corallina project has emerged
with the decision by Santos to sell out of the undeveloped Kuda Tasi/Jahal
oilfields about 575km northwest of Darwin. The buyer of the 25 per cent
stake is British group Paladin Resources plc, which in the past year has
bought out Shell and BHP Billiton as partners with Woodside in the Laminaria
development, once Australia's largest producing oilfield.
Paladin has indicated it does not want to be a silent partner in the
Timor Sea and its development interests are aligned with those of the
project operator, Woodside (40 per cent) and secretive Japanese group Inpex
(35 per cent).
Depending on the results of a new seismic program beginning next month,
Kuda Tasi could be producing well before Woodside's other Timor Sea
prospect, the Greater Sunrise gas field.
Santos told the stock exchange yesterday that it would receive 3.5
million Paladin shares - roughly 1 per cent of the British group's capital -
valued at about $US19.5 million ($25.3 million) at the current share price
and exchange rate, as well as a $US2.5 million reimbursement for current
exploration spending.
Santos will also receive $US3 million in cash under certain circumstances
following any future oilfield development in the permit. "This divestment is
in line with Santos's strategy to rationalise its portfolio and realise
value by selling non-core assets," managing director John Ellice-Flint said.
The Kuda Tasi/Jahal permit is in the joint petroleum development area (JPDA)
of the Timor Sea between Darwin and East Timor. Ninety per cent of all
revenues from the JPDA are assigned to East Timor.
Last year the East Timor Government demanded that production be halted
from Laminaria/Corallina until the maritime boundary dispute between
Australia and East Timor was resolved. This demand is to be withdrawn when
East Timor agrees to Australia's offer of about $13 billion in revenue in
exchange for delaying boundary talks for 50 years.
That agreement is set to be signed soon.
Woodside has been reviewing whether it is commercially justifiable to tie
back the Jahal and Kuda Tasi fields to the Northern Endeavour floating
production storage and offloading vessel to help offset declining production
in the nearby Laminaria and Corallina fields, which are just outside the
JDPA.
Ultimately, a development decision will depend on the terms of a
production-sharing contract with the East Timorese Government.
Paladin, which was formed in the 1990s by a group of former Clyde
Petroleum executives, first moved into Australia late last year by buying
BHP's stake in Laminaria and Corallina.
This was followed in March when Woodside and Paladin bought out Shell's
interest in the fields. Woodside now owns 66.67 per cent of Corallina and
the Northern Endeavour floating production storage and offloading vessel as
well as a 59.9 per cent interest in Laminaria. Paladin holds the remaining
33.3 per cent of both Corallina and Northern Endeavour and the remaining
41.1 per cent of Laminaria. (The Australian)
Timor Leste Proposes RI to Represent Muslim World in UNSC
Timor Leste continues to wish to see the United Nations Security Council
(UNSC) membership expanded and proposes Indonesia to be a permanent UNSC
member representing the Muslim world, a spokesman said. Timor Leste Foreign
Minister Jose Ramos Horta made the statements in his address to the 60th
United Nations General Assembly here on Wednesday.
He said although his country was predominantly Catholic, it was seeing
the need for the Muslim world to be represented in the council. "We believe
Indonesia as one of the biggest Muslim nations in the world, a democratic
country and the third most densely populated country in Asia has the right
to be a permanent member," he added.
He said Timor Leste also supported the bid of the G-4, namely Japan,
India, Germany and Brazil, to become permanent members in the council. Horta
also spoke about his country’s friendly relations with Indonesia and the
establishment of the Truth and Friendship Committee to settle the
human-right violations that occurred following a UN-sponsored people’s
ballot in the former Indonesian province in 1999.
He denied allegations that Timor Leste was more interested in developing
friendship with Indonesia than in seeking justice over the past human rights
violations and thus paving the way for the granting of an amnesty to those
responsible for the abuses. Horta said his country was quite aware of the
need to uphold the dignity and respect the rights of the victims of the past
violations and was also convinced that in seeking justice it had to be
sensitive to the need for striking a balance between justice and national
reconciliation. The Timor Leste government was adhering to this stand also
to prevent a continuous disintegration that could worsen the situation in
the country. He also reported relations between Timor Leste and Indonesia
had much improved and they had settled 90 percent of their borderline
problems. (ANTARA News)
National News Sources Timor Post (TP), Suara Timor Lorosae (STL), Diario
Tempo (DT), Diario Nacional (DC), Seminario, Lia Foun (LF), Televisaun
Timor-Leste [TVTL], RTL Radio Timor-Leste [RTL]
These items do not reflect the positions or views of the United Nations.
UNOTIL Public Information Office
-End-
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