International community failed E Timor: Portugal

Feb. 10, 2009

Portugal's Foreign Minister Luis Amado has suggested the international community failed to do enough for East Timor early in its independence.

Mr Armado - who has held talks in Canberra with his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith - says the world was too optimistic about East Timor's transformation.

Mr Smith says while security in East Timor has stabilised in the year since the near-fatal shooting of President Jose Ramos-Horta, the situation remains fragile.

"That's why in ... Australia's view there is an ongoing need for the United Nations presence [and] the International Stabilisation Force," he said.

"Australia and Portugal both play a shared role for the capacity building of East Timor's own institutions - particularly training of police, training of military."