Also: Mozambique And East Timor Identify Cooperation Areas

BBC Monitoring International Reports

October 10, 2002

MOZAMBIQUE: VISITING EAST TIMOR PREMIER HOLD TALKS WITH PRESIDENT CHISSANO

East Timor's Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri arrived in Maputo today at the start of his first visit to Mozambique since his designation to that post.

Alkatiri and Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano said that they would like to see cooperation between the two countries and peoples strengthened further.

Speaking at the start of talks this afternoon, Chissano said that he would like them to be fruitful, adding that Mozambique intended to learn about developments in East Timor since it became independent five months ago.

Alkatiri thanked Mozambique for his support and hospitality during the armed struggle for the liberation of East Timor. He said that he hoped the talks would result in the adoption of solutions to a number of problems his government had been facing since independence, notably in the planning, financial, industrial, commercial, defence and security fields. Afterwards, the two statesmen briefed reporters on the outcome of their talks.

Chissano We have identified the possible areas of cooperation. We discussed our willingness to put in place a cooperation programme. Specifically, we identified the area of justice. As you know, Mozambique's legal system is in the process of being reformed. Yet, in East Timor the government is considering the establishment of new institutions from scratch.

Although we are engaged in a process of reforms, we have something concrete to offer, based on our experiences since independence. We are thinking in terms of macroeconomics, education, customs and excise, taxation and police. As you know, we have introduced far-reaching reforms in the police department, notably in the area of training and methodology.

Announcer Mari Alkatiri said that his visit to Mozambique fitted within the framework of the organization of East Timorese state institutions. He noted that although East Timor was under UN administration for two and a half years, there was still a lot to be done because the world body had not organized state institutions.

Alkatiri And so we need to organize our state institutions. We are not in the process of reorganizing state institutions, but rather organizing them. We would not like to make mistakes. As a matter of principle we would like to learn from past experiences, including personal experiences so as to enhance our programme. Specifically, we would like to define policies and regulations and then move towards development.

As you know, I am very familiar with Mozambique. Given the dynamic state organization process that took place in Mozambique, we felt that our two countries could step up cooperation, especially because back home we are running against time.

Source: Radio Mozambique Antena Nacional, Maputo, in Portuguese 1730 gmt 9 Oct 02

Africa News

October 10, 2002 Thursday

Mozambique And East Timor Identify Cooperation Areas

Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique

Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano and East Timorese Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri identified possible areas of cooperation between the two countries during a meeting they held in Maputo on Wednesday, to discuss bilateral cooperation.

Chissano told reporters after the meeting that the two delegations briefed each other on their respective countries' political and economic situation.

"We have identified areas of cooperation and each country's preparedness to carry out cooperation projects", Chissano said.

Among these areas, Chissano mentioned the sectors of justice, finance (particularly customs and taxes), and the police.

He said that cooperation in the area of justice is because "in Mozambique we are carrying out a reform of the justice sector".

"East Timor is involved in establishing new institutions, almost from scratch, and we have something that we can offer", he added.

As for the police, Chissano said that also here "we (Mozambique) have introduced deep reforms, that we hope will have positive results, particularly in the area of training".

He said that for cooperation in this area, Mozambican officials may be sent to East Timor, all depending on the finance and personnel available.

its institutions. "Although we have had two and a half years of international administration, the structuring of the state is not yet complete", he said.

East Timor is busy collecting experiences and foreign support because it cannot afford to make mistakes and waste time.

"With the experiences and support we are gathering, we want to speed up the process of political structuring, and advance to the development of the country", Alkatiri said.

Alkatiri is well acquainted with the Mozambican state administration since he lived for quarter of a century in exile in Mozambique, during the Indonesian occupation of East Timor.

This is the first visit by Alkatiri to a foreign country since East Timor's independence, in May last year, and is intended as a tribute to Mozambique for its support for the cause of the East Timorese people.

Mozambique was among the few countries that recognised the Democratic Republic of East Timor, proclaimed by the liberation movement, Fretilin, in late 1975, and drowned in blood in the Indonesian invasion a few days later. Mozambique immediately opened its doors to Timorese refugees, and a small Timorese community lived in Mozambique for the next 25 years.

Mozambique raised the Timorese issue persistently in international fora, right from the dark days of the 1970s, when the rest of the world seemed content to consign this small nation to everlasting Indonesian repression.

"It really feels like coming back home. It is always a pleasure to come back to Mozambique. I feel at home", Alkatiri told reporters.

Alkatiri plans to visit various economic undertakings, and to stay in Mozambique until next Tuesday.