YouSaid · the spoken record

José RAMOS-HORTA

lines on the record: 120
first: 2004-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 7
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“The professionalism of the International Security Forces is visible to all, and the behaviour of the soldiers is irreproachable. The same can be said of the United Nations police force in my country, comprising police from 40 countries, with particular reference to formed police units from Portugal, Pakistan, Malaysia and Bangladesh. We are blessed by the Almighty with non-negligible resources, and we can count on the generosity of our development partners, but challenges remain complex and multifaceted. However, I am confident that, with a shared vision and a commitment to serve the poorest of the poor, we will meet the Millennium Development Goals. We cannot fail. We shall not fail.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“However, we would not have succeeded in pulling back from the brink without the prompt and steadfast support of the international community. I thank the Secretary-General and, through him, the entire United Nations family, in particular those serving in my country in various capacities, for their selfless contributions to the preservation of peace in Timor-Leste. I also thank Australia and New Zealand for maintaining a robust and credible security force in my country in support of, and in close coordination with, our Government and the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste, under the leadership of Mr. Atul Khare, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, who is a most compassionate human being and a dedicated and tireless professional.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Gusmão, a resistance hero, has made enormous efforts in stabilizing the country and delivering services to the people. Progress is visible. A growing number of internally displaced persons are returning home. Most camps are now empty. More than 700 former soldiers involved in the 2006 mutiny have accepted a Government financial package and have returned home. On the economic front, our real gross domestic product (GDP) will show a 7 per cent increase by the end of this year. However, if oil and gas revenues are factored in, our economic growth will be approximately 19 per cent. While our real annual GDP per capita is less than $400, that figure jumps to more than $4,000 if oil and gas revenues are factored in.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“I escaped by an act of God and thanks to the professionalism and dedication of doctors and nurses at the Australian army medical centre in Dili and the 08-51851 10 doctors and nurses at the Royal Darwin Hospital. To them, and to all who have prayed for my life and my recovery, I once again express my eternal gratitude. I stood at the frontier between life and death; I saw the darkness of death and the beauty of life, which I nearly left behind. The attack against Prime Minister Gusmão and myself shocked the nation, and my near-death served to unite the people in opposing violence. Since then, the situation in Timor-Leste has been more peaceful than it has been in many years, without any politically motivated violence so far; even common crime has been significantly reduced. The Government, led by Mr.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“With regard to the situation in Western Sahara, Timor-Leste is guided by the stance taken by the regional organization that is most competent on this matter — the African Union — and guided by the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, all of which clearly and unequivocally recognize the inalienable right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination. That is the core of the issue and the root cause of the ongoing conflict. Hence, Timor-Leste joins with the African Union in calling for strict respect for the inalienable right of the Saharawi people to self-determination. I now turn to the situation in my own country. On 11 February, I was shot and nearly died as a result.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Such a gesture would be honourable, and my admiration for the United States would only increase. As it is, as I witness the impact of United States sanctions on a small developing country, as well as its refusal to provide unconditional assistance to Cuba following the devastation caused by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, my heart bleeds in sorrow and my admiration for the United States seriously diminishes. In that connection, I wish to express once again our most heartfelt sympathy and solidarity with the people of Haiti and others in the Caribbean region who were affected by the recent natural disasters.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“In addition, there are nearly 300 Cuban doctors working in our country, distributed through all districts and sub-districts. Cuban adult education specialists assist us in our adult literacy campaign, benefiting thousands of adults. The costs of those programmes are borne almost entirely by Cuba. Mr. Siles Alvarado (Bolivia), Vice-President, took the Chair. While I commend the United States and any country that stands for universal democratic values and that provides moral support for those promoting democracy in their own countries, I submit that punitive measures imposed on poor developing countries for the perceived sins of their leaders cannot be morally justified. As a friend of the United States, I humbly appeal to its next Administration and to Congress to lift the embargo against Cuba.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Hence, the challenge for those involved is to persuade the military that their own interests as a group will not be compromised in any future democratic arrangement. Any other strategy seeking to sideline the military or that the military sees as undermining their power and future safety will not succeed and will only prolong the agony of all in that sad country. Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, which brought devastation to the Caribbean, ruined the Cuban economy. The country’s material losses are staggering, with initial estimates showing the losses to approach a total of at least $5 billion. Timor-Leste has nearly 700 East Timorese medical students in Cuba, and over 140 East Timorese are studying medicine in our national university with Cuban medical instructors.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We believe that, even though we are poor, or because we are poor, we should better understand and feel the pain of the poorest of the poor and must be among the first to help others less fortunate than us. In my address today, I shall touch upon three international issues: Myanmar, the United States embargo against Cuba and the question of Western Sahara. Timor-Leste’s stance on Myanmar is aligned with the stance taken by our immediate neighbours in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. We believe in particular that while strong denunciations of abuses are justifiable and that sanctions might be morally justifiable, there cannot be a long-term solution in Myanmar without the consent and full partnership of that country’s army.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Now, in response to several natural disasters that have affected tens of millions of our fellow human beings, Timor-Leste promptly decided to donate $500,000 for the victims of the earthquake that hit the Chinese province of Sichuan; $500,000 for the victims of Cyclone Nargis that hit Myanmar on 2 May, to be channelled through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat; and $500,000 for Cuba to assist the victims of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, to be channelled directly to the Cuban authorities. Starting in 2009, Timor-Leste will contribute $1 million annually to assist child-related programmes in Myanmar and Somalia through United Nations agencies like UNICEF and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We may be among them. We agree with that remark, and Timor-Leste is seeking to reinvest our modest revenues in diversified portfolios around the world. While our first obligation is to make use of our oil wealth for the sustainable development of our country and to address the immediate needs of our poorest, we are not indifferent to the suffering of our fellow human beings in other parts of the world. When the Asia region was hit in December 2005 by a tsunami of major proportions, our Government immediately contributed $50,000 for the victims in Indonesia, and 9 08-51851 our citizens took up their own collection of donations and raised an additional $70,000.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“But we all could do better if the bulk of the aid was not used to cover the costs of the endless study missions and redundant reports, but was invested on the ground in small rural development initiatives. (spoke in English) Timor-Leste is a least developed country. However, Almighty God has bestowed on us some modest oil, gas and other mineral wealth. Our oil and gas revenues are modest, averaging only $100 million to $150 million a month. It could be argued that, for a country of slightly over one million people, this amount is not too bad. By the end of this year, our Petroleum Fund, which was established in 2005, will have accumulated in excess of $3 billion, all invested in United States treasury bonds. A writer in The Economist recently stated that those who invest in United States treasury bonds are people who like to lose money.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Timor-Leste accordingly supports the initiative of the Secretary-General to establish a High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis and an integrated framework in order to deal with immediate food needs worldwide and to provide the most vulnerable countries with the capacity they need to become self- sufficient. As a newly independent country, Timor-Leste has benefited much from the generosity of the international community. Donors will say that they have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to my country in the last few years, and that is true. However, we must ask ourselves if the aid has helped to improve the lives of the majority of our population. The answer is yes and no.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“If the international community does not redouble and coordinate its efforts to significantly boost development assistance and market access, it will be nearly impossible for poor, non-oil-producing countries to achieve even the modest goals that we had set for them in 2001 with a view to reducing poverty in the world by half by 2015. Donor countries must quickly readapt their aid for development, emphasizing agriculture, particularly in support of small family and community projects, preservation of land and rainwater recovery, by increasing the percentage of official development assistance (ODA) from a modest 3 per cent in 2006 to at least 30 per cent. I note that in 1980, the percentage of all foreign aid dedicated to agriculture was 17 per cent, which had dropped to 2.9 per cent by 2006.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“But as urban populations swell in numbers, the dream of a better life is turning into desperation. However, the twenty-first century may witness their return to their places of origin, if Governments can learn from this crisis and seriously invest in job creation programmes for rural areas, particularly in agriculture, in order to increase food production. Increasing food costs, whatever the cause may be, are neutralizing the progress achieved in many developing countries towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“First of all, I would like to congratulate Mr. d’Escoto Brockmann on his well-deserved election to preside over the sixty-third session of the General Assembly. The sustained increase in the cost of energy, the growing demand for oil by industrialized countries and emerging economies, higher food prices, the lack of arable land and water in many regions and climate change are only some of the indicators of non-conventional threats to security that we all face today and increasingly in the future. But crises also offer opportunities. Throughout the decades, hundreds of millions of people all over the world abandon their ancestral lands and move to cities in search of work and a better life, as Governments focus their attention and resources on cities and neglected rural populations.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“On the other hand, it is an absurdity that Asia, which contains almost half of the world’s population, should be so grossly underrepresented.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“That is all part of the history of the world: the history of European conquest, with its glory and tragedy. Timor-Leste commends the General Assembly for finally adopting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (resolution 61/295, annex). That is the least we can do to redress the grave injustices done to some of the earlier civilizations of the world. I now turn to the issue of United Nations reform. Negotiations on reform of the United Nations system, in particular of the Security Council, should begin. Rather than seeking dramatic reforms, we may want to adopt an incremental approach. The Council must be incrementally expanded to include major Powers such as India, Indonesia, Japan, Brazil, South Africa and Germany.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Concerning indigenous peoples’ rights, more than 500 years ago long after Chinese navigators and explorers had circumnavigated the globe European kings, navigators, missionaries, adventurers and mercenaries began the great European conquest of the world. In the process, tens of millions of people were subjugated and colonized, fortunes and empires were made at the expense of the peoples with whom they came into contact and new diseases were brought into the new colonies. Slavery uprooted at least 10 million from the African continent. Millions of indigenous peoples were decimated by wars and diseases. Their demise and their lands gave birth to new nations that were alien to their sacred birthplaces. This very island of Manhattan was once the sovereign home of Native Americans.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“While Timor-Leste does not subscribe to the many one-sided anti-Israel resolutions adopted over the years in various United Nations bodies, the facts on the ground show a whole people living on the edge of desperation as a result of decades of humiliation, exclusion and violence. Timor-Leste joins the rest of the international community in calling for the implementation of the Road Map, leading to the formal establishment of a viable Palestinian State. With regard to Western Sahara, Timor-Leste is encouraged and commends both Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO for the recent talks held on Long Island under the good offices of the United Nations.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“In the midst of such a tragedy, we can find some consolation and inspiration as we see millions of people around the world crossing the boundaries of religions and cultures and joining together in solidarity with the victims of Darfur. I now turn to the situation in Palestine. As a small and newly independent nation and a friend of Israel, Timor-Leste cannot remain indifferent to the suffering of the Palestinian people, who have many times been victims victims of Israel’s obstinate policies of occupation and discrimination, victims of manipulation by regional Powers and victims of their own sectarian division and violence.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Our scientists have developed Frankenstein’s monsters that may well destroy us all either by design, if the weapons fall into the hands of non-State actors, or by accident. Concerning the death penalty, Timor-Leste is part of a cross-regional initiative calling for a moratorium. We note that the trend towards the worldwide abolition of the death penalty continues. As for the situation in Darfur, Timor-Leste commends the African Union, the United Nations, all those in Government and those individuals who have done their very best to end the suffering of the people in that region suffering that is now compounded by natural calamity.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“On the other hand, Timor-Leste is deeply concerned about the climate of mistrust and confrontation regarding the situation in Iran. Iran is entitled to explore all peaceful means to acquire technology that would make it less reliant on non-renewable sources of energy. No one denies that Iran or any other nation has that right. However, Iran must do more to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency and to reassure its neighbours and the rest of the world that it is not seeking to acquire nuclear-weapons capability. Asia is the most nuclearized region of the world. I do not know that we should be proud of such a status. Mutually assured destruction MAD is indeed madness, as the acronym itself suggests.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“As human beings and friends, we are distressed at the deteriorating social, humanitarian and political conditions in that neighbouring country. The leaders of Myanmar must not continue to hold Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the entire nation hostage to a mindset that belongs to the cold war and to policies that have brought international opprobrium and economic ruin to a country endowed with vast natural resources and a very proud people. With regard to nuclear proliferation, Timor-Leste commends the six-party talks on North Korea, which have achieved some modest positive results in inducing that country to reverse its nuclear-weapons capability. That modest success shows that patient diplomacy can make progress on even the most intractable conflicts when the parties involved identify common concern and interest.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“That was a novel and unique approach to redressing the wrongs of the past, although, being untested, it provoked much criticism and opposition in certain quarters. With regard to international and regional relations, we are expanding and consolidating our relations with the region and the rest of the world. We are an active member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum and are working towards full membership in ASEAN. We are an active observer in the Pacific Islands Forum and a member of the Comunidade dos países de Lingua Portuguesa (CPLD). I shall now turn to some international issues of concern to Timor-Leste. With regard to the situation in Myanmar, I wish to say that, as a country of the region, Timor-Leste is following the developments there with deep concern and disappointment.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“I wish to assure everyone that as a member of the Council, Timor-Leste will favour dialogue on human rights situations and will accord priority to strengthening thematic procedures, promoting the ratification of existing human rights treaties and strengthening national and regional human rights mechanisms. Next, I shall discuss the Truth and Friendship Commission. In August 2005, the Presidents of Timor- Leste and Indonesia inaugurated a forward-looking policy and mechanism of truth-finding as a means to address the violence of 1999, when the two countries parted ways. While there were some calls for the establishment of an ad hoc international tribunal to try those responsible for the 1999 violence, the leaders of the two countries opted instead for a binational version of the South African truth and reconciliation process.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“I now turn to the issues of human rights, the rule of law and justice. At the time that sovereignty was transferred to the people of Timor-Leste, in May 2002, what existed was no more than the sketch the idea of a modern, democratic State. We had to build our country from scratch. While we failed in many areas, we succeeded in others. We have succeeded in not abandoning our deep commitment to our human rights and the rule of law. Timor-Leste stands among the very few that have ratified all seven core human rights treaties. Timor-Leste seeks a seat on the Human Rights Council for the term 2008-2011, and we are particularly pleased and grateful that many countries have so far expressed support for our candidacy.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Coupled with public investments in infrastructure roads, bridges, port and airport and in the agriculture sector, Timor-Leste should see, in the medium term, a significant reduction of unemployment and a decrease in poverty levels. Regarding the presence of the United Nations, we are cognizant of the fact that the international community faces a number of critical situations around the world in the Middle East, Somalia, the Sudan- Darfur, Iraq and Afghanistan, to mention but a few that are far more serious than the situation in my country and that may be of greater strategic importance and have greater implications for regional and world peace. We hope that as the situation progresses, the Peacebuilding Commission will consider placing Timor-Leste on its agenda as a follow-up to UNMIT.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“According to a recent report of the Asian Development Bank, Timor-Leste’s economy will see a strong 22-per-cent growth this year due to our oil revenues. However, all this is not enough to improve the living standards of the people. The vast majority of the people who have been poor for centuries should not wait. I have pledged to be the President of the poor and I intend to be their best advocate. I am establishing a fast-track mechanism under my personal leadership to provide direct assistance to individuals, groups or rural communities. The idea is that it should take no more than 10 working days for a decision to be made on a project and for the first instalment of a grant to be disbursed.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“I thank the international community, the United Nations and its agencies, the International Organization for Migration, and international non-governmental organizations for their generous and prompt assistance. The new Government has pledged to cooperate with all to address the situation of internally displaced persons. Last year’s late rains, floods and a locust plague have caused significant damage to our subsistence agriculture sector. As a result, an acute food shortage is foreseen in the coming months. The Government is planning to purchase significant amounts of food items in the regional markets to make up for the food shortage. Endowed with some oil and gas resources, Timor- Leste cannot complain of not having enough financial means to turn our economy around and lift the living standards of our people.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“That will remain the case until such time as our police force has been reconstructed and turned into a credible and effective force. That will take two to five years at a minimum. I wish to assure all that, in the meantime, the East Timorese will pursue national dialogue so that we can reconcile and heal the wounds of the past. As to the social situation in Timor Leste, the 2006 crisis caused widespread looting and destruction in the capital. More than 30 people died, more than 100 were wounded, and tens of thousands were displaced. We are slowly recovering. However, tens of thousands of people remain in precarious camps in the capital and elsewhere.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“A post-election four-party parliamentary alliance opposed to FRETILIN secured 37 seats in the new Parliament of 65 seats, was invited to form a Government. There was violence in a number of locations in which local law enforcement elements were implicated, but the swift intervention of the United Nations police and the International Stabilization Force (ISF) succeeded in quickly controlling the situation. Our own defence force played a constructive role in helping to defuse the violence. I also acknowledge the role played by the FRETILIN leadership in restraining its more passionate followers. Law and order have been restored. However, the relative tranquillity prevailing in the country is precarious and due in large measure to the effective role played by United Nations police, ISF and our own defence force.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“The election campaign period was mostly free of violence and there were few reported irregularities. Though we are proud that the two elections were managed by our own agencies, we also acknowledge that the active support of UNMIT and other United Nations agencies, including the United Nations Development Programme, were indispensable and crucial to enable us to undertake such a complex task. While the result of the presidential election was warmly welcomed by all, including the defeated candidate, the same did not happen when a new Government was announced following the 30 June legislative election. FRETILIN, the former ruling party, won most votes, but not enough to govern on its own; after several weeks of lobbying, it failed to forge a coalition to govern.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“I wish to reiterate here our sincere gratitude to those who came to our assistance in that time of need. We are forever grateful to Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand, as well as to Portugal, which dispatched a fully equipped company of its elite force, the National Republican Guard. The Security Council approved the deployment of an integrated mission, the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), with a police component of 1,740 police. The deployment of the United Nations police contingent was understandably extremely slow, and the projected force was complete only in January 2007. We have made significant progress since the dark weeks of April and May 2006. Presidential and legislative elections were held between April and June 2007.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“However, we in the developing world cannot escape our own responsibilities. The demographic explosion and our own efforts to catch up with the rich North all contribute to the pressures on our lands, forests, rivers, lakes and oceans. Let us therefore set rhetoric aside and work as one to redress the enormous damage we have done to the common home of humankind. As to the political situation in Timor Leste, in April and May 2006, less than five years after my country’s accession to full independence, we were plunged into our first major crisis. The then President of the Republic, the Speaker of the National Parliament and the Prime Minister jointly agreed to seek the United Nations urgent assistance and the rapid intervention of friendly countries.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“As I address this body, may I seize this opportunity to extend to Mr. Kerim my sincere and warm congratulations on his well-deserved election to preside over the sixty-second session of the General Assembly. In view of the constraints of time and in deference to all, I shall take no more than 10 minutes to share some facts and reflections on the situation in my country, as well as on select issues of regional and international concern. Timor-Leste is encouraged by Secretary- General’s organization of the high-level event on climate change, to be followed by negotiations on the United Nations Framework Convention in Bali. The industrialized countries of the North bear enormous responsibility for the damage done to our fragile ecosystems. They, more than anyone else, must reverse the course and lead the effort to save the Earth.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“The international community and, in particular, the neighbouring countries, have a special duty to provide all necessary support to the brave peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq in their struggle to consolidate their hard-won freedoms; the neighbouring countries must do more to prevent their territories from being used as springboards for the infiltration of mercenaries and weapons into Afghanistan and Iraq.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“First, we commend Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for his courage in disengaging from Gaza. We hope that this is only a first step towards the full implementation of the road map leading to the establishment of a democratic Palestinian State. The new Palestinian leaders and people deserve equal praise for their moderation and statesmanship, patience and tolerance. In Iraq and Afghanistan, local extremist elements and foreign mercenaries continue their campaign of terror to reverse the democratic gains made by the people of the two countries.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“But we also remember how the proud Japanese people were made to pay an extraordinary price for their Second World War sins. Hiroshima stands as the living reminder of that horrible price. Japanese leaders were brought to trial at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and paid for their crimes. A defeated Japan was effectively occupied and administered by the victorious American Power. This benign occupier charted the course of the new Japan, which today is a world economic Power, a peaceful and vibrant democracy that has made enormous contributions to the well-being of developing countries and the United Nations system. Allow me now to share with the Assembly my Government’s concern on some key international issues — the Middle East, Afghanistan and Iraq.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We continue to believe that Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country, with the third largest population in our region and the third largest Asian democracy, is uniquely suited for permanent member status. I wish now to touch on an issue that has been very much in the news in the last few months: Japan and its neighbours. Timor-Leste understands the reservations of certain countries that do not wish to see too large a Security Council; we understand the reluctance of some of the current permanent five to abandon or share privileges with new ones. We understand that countries that were invaded and colonized by Japan during the Second World War are not receptive to their former aggressor. Timor-Leste, too, was occupied by Japan during the Second World War.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“My Government holds the view that regional balance remains a sine-qua-non principle as should representation of civilizations. Asia, which contains half of the world’s population, is grossly underrepresented in the United Nations system and will remain so, even with the possible addition of India and Japan. Timor-Leste supports the G-4 initiative, because we believe that the four countries concerned fulfil every reasonable qualifying criterion for permanent membership in the Security Council. Timor-Leste, which has an overwhelmingly Catholic majority population, is proud to have been the first country to draw the attention of this body to the need to insure that the Muslim world be adequately represented in an expanded Security Council.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We do not support expanding the Council’s mandate to include managing United Nations post-conflict activities. 27 A permanent member of the Security Council should not limit its peacekeeping contributions to eloquent rhetoric while refraining from providing the troops necessary to back up its words. We are all capable of delivering eloquent speeches with apparent moral force, but we do not all have the same political will, courage or raw power to match our words. Aspiring Security Council members, permanent and non-permanent alike, should be countries with stable and open political systems and with effective credible national leaderships that inspire trust and respect in their respective regions and throughout the world as a whole.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We are all good practitioners, focusing our attention on issues that are often remote from our shores or that do not collide with friendships, alliances or interests. Timor-Leste fully endorses the establishment of a Human Rights Council and is prepared to serve in such a body if we are asked to do so. Timor-Leste strongly supports the creation of a Peacebuilding Commission, which will play a critical role in post-conflict situations. The merits are sui generis. In view of our unique and rich experience, Timor-Leste would be pleased to serve on that new body if our friends believe we can be useful there. There is agreement that the Economic and Social Council must be reformed. It seems to duplicate or add little value to its subsidiary bodies.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Much has been said and written about the need for a thorough review of the United Nations system, and much of the debate has been focused on the Security Council, overshadowing all other issues, including the much-needed reform of the General Assembly itself. Reform is also urgent in regard to the existing human rights system. The proliferation of treaty bodies and agenda items results in a morass of duplication, waste, inefficiency and loss of focus. The General Assembly remains the prime organ of the United Nations that brings together all nations, rich and poor, large and small. The endless and repetitive yearly general debate and agenda must be reviewed in order to shorten it and make it more focused. I now turn to the Commission on Human Rights. No country or group has a monopoly on selectivity.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The role of the United Nations in the world has not, however, been limited to peacekeeping; it has provided facilities and an environment for informal meetings between parties in conflict, it has mediated hostage situations or border disputes, and it has mobilized resources and coordinated assistance to war-torn countries or to communities affected by natural disasters. While we all agree that our collective Organization has failed at times, those shortcomings and failures should not obscure its virtues and successes. The United Nations can become more effective if regional bodies do their share in addressing the challenges in their respective regions.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“True to stated principles, the Government has adhered to a provisional savings policy for petroleum revenues ahead of the adoption of the permanent savings policy”. I should now like to touch upon the theme of United Nations reform. As we observe the current news coverage surrounding the oil-for-food scandal, with the United Nations painted as the villain, we are certainly disappointed that the Organization we idealize is tainted by allegations of corruption. In peacekeeping and conflict prevention, we must remember that while the Secretary-General has the responsibility to alert the Security Council to ongoing or potential conflicts that may threaten international peace and security, the ultimate decision to act rests with the Security Council, in particular the five permanent members.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We have developed a model Petroleum Fund legal and policy regime, which we took directly to the people and to the National Parliament for approval. We do not want Timor-Leste to fall prey to the developing nations’ so-called resource curse, whereby God-given resources are squandered. The key principle is that only the sustainable income from our petroleum wealth will be available for current expenditure. Commenting on our Petroleum Fund, the World Bank said that Timor-Leste “has adopted a state-of-the-art legal framework for on- and off-shore petroleum production and taxation and a draft savings policy and associated Petroleum Fund Act consistent with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) ... having embraced transparency principles even before EITI existed ...”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We believe that our first obligation, as a responsible member of the international community, is to build a peaceful, stable, democratic and prosperous country. By consolidating nation-building, internal peace and stability and 26 unshackling our people from poverty, we can contribute to wider peace and stability. If one were to read the aforementioned World Bank report on the developments in my country, one would reach the same upbeat conclusion about the impressive gains that we have attained in only three years. Let me share with members some additional findings: “Timor-Leste, the world’s newest nation, was created out of ashes ... Given that the country started from scratch both physically and institutionally, Timor-Leste has done remarkably well”.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The commission is mandated to examine serious acts of violence that occurred in the period before, during and after the 30 August 1999 popular consultations sponsored by the United Nations. We are accused in some quarters of being too preoccupied with forging close relations with Indonesia, to the detriment of justice for past abuses, and in doing so of encouraging impunity. To our accusers, we say the following. We are mindful of the need to accord dignity and respect to the victims of past abuses, and we believe that in the pursuit of justice we must be sensitive to the need to establish a balance between comprehensive justice and national reconciliation in order to avoid perpetuating the divisions of the past and risking the exacerbation of existing cleavages in our society.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“At of the end of July, we became the twenty-fifth member of the Regional Forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); our next goal is ASEAN membership. We enjoy special observer status in the Pacific Islands Forum. Without the active involvement of our regional and international friends, the leadership and coordinating role of the United Nations and the engagement of its many agencies, of the Bretton Woods institutions and of the Asian Development Bank, we would not have been able to achieve the impressive progress we have made thus far. With regard to truth and reconciliation, I shall now address the issue of justice. In an effort to uncover the truth about the events of 1999, the Governments of Timor-Leste and Indonesia have established a joint commission on truth and friendship.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)