28-04-2006 11:24:00. Fonte LUSA. Notícia SIR-7944052 Temas:

East Timor: Portugal 'confident' in Dili's leadership - FM Freitas do Amaral

Sofia, April 28 (Lusa) - Portuguese Foreign Minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral urged the East Timorese Friday to show "calm and respect democratic legality" in the wake of rioting that left at least two dead and nearly 30 wounded in Dili.

Freitas do Amaral, in comments to Lusa on the sidelines of the NATO ministerial meeting in the Bulgarian capital, said Lisbon had full "confidence" that East Timor's leadership would manage to "maintain public tranquility and resolve the problems".

He said there were no reports of injuries among the large Portuguese community resident in the Timorese capital and that Portuguese nationals were being alerted through cell phone messages to remain indoors.

The minister said he was keeping in touch with the Portuguese ambassador to Dili, João Ramos Pinto, to stay atop the tense situation following clashes Friday between police and hundreds of soldiers sacked from the Timorese army in a labor dispute.

The Foreign Ministry's spokesman, António Carneiro Jacinto, said a crisis cabinet had been convened in Lisbon to follow the situation in Dili and to contact Portuguese nationals.

VM/SAS.

Lusa

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