also Japan to Support East Timor's Fight against Global Warming

E. Timor Seeks Japan's Help In Training Troops, Blocking Illegal Entry

Kyodo

TOKYO, March 15 -- Visiting East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta called Monday for Japan's support in training its military as well as countering illegal entry into his country from the sea, a government official said.

In his meeting with Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, Ramos-Horta expressed his gratitude for Japan's dispatch of its Self-Defense Forces between 2002 and 2004 to help rebuild the conflict-ravaged country as part of a U.N. peacekeeping mission, and said East Timor aims to model its military after the SDF, the official said.

The president said the East Timorese military will focus more on operations such as engineering work and humanitarian assistance rather than fighting and launching attacks to contribute to world peace, the official said. Under the war-renouncing Constitution, Japan's SDF adopts a defense-only policy.

Ramos-Horta also said East Timor faces problems of illegal entry and needs to bolster its marine defense. He said the country has requested cooperation from the United States, Australia and Indonesia and expressed hope that Japan will also extend support in that area.

The president and Japan's defense chief agreed that the two countries will further promote bilateral defense exchanges through mutual visits by high-level officials. From this year, Japan will accept East Timorese exchange students at the National Defense Academy.

Ramos-Horta also said East Timor shares Japan's concerns about North Korea's nuclear program and welcomes Tokyo's efforts to promote nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Kitazawa told the president that the Japan-U.S. security alliance serves as a public good in the Asia-Pacific region and that Tokyo will continue to make efforts for regional stability, according to the official.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and his East Timorese counterpart Zacarias Albano da Costa exchanged documents on Japan's provision of 700 million yen in grant aid to help preserve forests and introduce renewable energy in the Asian country. Da Costa is accompanying the president.

--

Jiji Press Ticker Service

Japan to Support East Timor's Fight against Global Warming

Tokyo, March 15

Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said Monday that Tokyo will provide East Timor with 700 million yen worth of financial and technical assistance to support the country's efforts to fight global warming.

Okada unveiled the plan at his meeting with visiting East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta. The aid will be used partly to help East Timor introduce solar power generation systems.

Showing gratitude for the aid, Ramos-Horta said that continued assistance from Japan is important for his country to combat climate change. Ramos-Horta also said that his country supports Japan's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.

Ramos-Horta paid tribute to Takahisa Kawakami, a senior member of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in East Timor, who was found dead at his home in the East Timorese capital of Dili.

The news of the death of Kawakami, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official, reached the ministry on Monday. He is believed to have died of a disease. He was 60.

Kawakami took office as deputy special representative of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon for the peacekeeping mission in September 2008.

Back March 2010 Menu        
World Leaders Contact List
Main Postings Menu