Media Release: Alkatiri urges continuing US support for Timor-Leste

FRENTE REVOLUCIONÁRIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE
FRETILIN

Media Release
23 June 2008

Alkatiri urges continuing US support for Timor-Leste

FRETILIN Secretary General Dr Mari Alkatiri has concluded a successful
visit to the United States where he urged government and congressional
representatives to continue US support for Timor Leste's development.

In Washington DC Dr Alkatiri met officials including US Assistant
Secretary of State, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Asia Pacific, Scott Marciel and Representative David
Price, Chairman of the US House Of Representatives Democracy
Committee.

"The people and state institutions of Timor Leste will continue to
need the assistance of the people of the United States to consolidate
national peace and stability so as to guarantee continuing social,
political and economic progress,' Dr Alkatiri said.

"As the largest political party in Timor Leste with a plurality of
seats in parliament, FRETILIN feels a responsibility to make every
effort to help in this regard.

"Whatever internal political differences FRETILIN has with other
parties in Timor Leste, we all have a responsibility to foster
positive external relationships and seek productive outcomes for our
nation."

In Washington, Dr Alkatiri also met senior executives and officials of
the United States Agency for International Development, National
Democratic Institute for International Affairs, International
Republican Institute, the World Bank, the Millennium Challenge
Corporation and the Peterson Institute for International Economic
Development.

Dr Alkatiri was accompanied by former Secretary of State for the
Council of Ministers, Gregorio da Sousa and FRETILIN MP and former
Minister for Natural Resources, Minerals and Energy Policy, Jose
Teixeira.

"We made it clear during all our meetings that as the de facto
opposition in parliament, FRETILIN and it's allies want to play a
positive and constructive role in supporting the state of the
Timor-Leste, to build on the foundations laid by the former FRETILIN
government to secure sustainable development for our people," Alkatiri
said.

"We stressed that in doing so we sought continued assistance and
advice of and from these organizations. Their response was very
positive and I believe we can expect more from them than we have
attained to date. They are very enthusiastic and willing to assist us
playing this positive role," Alkatiri added.

During the meetings Dr Alkatiri was praised for his leadership of the
first constitutional government that established the foundations of an
independent state – especially the Petroleum Fund, legal framework and
functioning public administration – which enabled Timor-Leste to
withstand the crisis of 2006 and allow a return to normalcy much
faster than many expected.

Alkatiri said he assured the Millennium Challenge Corporation that the
process of attaining a "compact", which commenced under the former
FRETILIN government, would have FRETILIN's ongoing support.

Also in Washington, Dr. Alkatiri briefed ambassadors and
representatives of the CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language
Countries) on positive developments towards peace and stability in
Timor-Leste in recent weeks.

For more information contact:

Jose Teixeira +670 728 7080 (Dili, Timor-Leste)