Press Releases
Japan-Timor-Leste Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
March 27, 2019
On March 27, commencing at 6:50 p.m.for 70 minutes, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a Foreign Ministers’ Meeting over dinner with H.E. Dr. Dionisio da Costa Babo Soares, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, during his visit to Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- In his opening remarks, Minister Kono welcomed Minister Babo’s visit to Japan and thanked Timor-Leste for the warm hospitality he received when he visited the country in October 2018 for the first time as Japanese Foreign Minister since the restoration of independence. Minister Kono stated that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the first Donors’ Meeting for Timor-Leste in Tokyo, and would like to discuss with Minister Babo how to enhance the bilateral relationship between the two countries on this occasion.
- In response, Minister Babo stated that he was pleased to meet Minister Kono again since August 2018 and expressed appreciation for the welcome extended by Minister Kono. Minister Babo stated that his visit to Osaka was meaningful and expressed hope for further strengthening the bilateral relationship especially through reciprocal visits by the two foreign ministers. In addition, Minister Babo noted that job creation was one of the goals of Timor-Leste’ Government, and in this regard, expressed interest in sending workers from Timor-Leste to Japan.
- The two Ministers shared the view that the two countries will enhance cooperation in various fields, including education and human resources development towards economic diversification and job creation in Timor-Leste, people-to-people exchanges on the occasion of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, infrastructure development and maritime fields. In addition, the two Ministers welcomed the progress of trilateral cooperation among Timor-Leste, Indonesia and Japan and confirmed their intention to aim for the swift holding of the second working-level consultations.
- The two Ministers exchanged views regarding regional and international situations, including North Korea and the South China Sea issues.