DILI, 20 May 2022 (TATOLI)-Timorese people are proud to celebrate the commemoration of the restoration of Independence Day, said the New President of Timor-Leste, Jose Ramos Horta.
“We are proud as today we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the restoration of Independence Day. Today, I bow before our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the independence, including Nicolau Lobato, Francisco Xavier do Amaral, etc. I would also like to pay my respect to our veterans who spent 24 years in the jungle fighting for the independence of the nation, namely Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Taur Matan Ruak, Lere Anan Timur, Falur Rate Laek, Francisco Guterres ‘Lú Olo’ etc,” Horta made the comments when addressing the anniversary of the restoration of Independence Day, at the Palace of the Government, on Friday.
Horta expressed his deepest appreciation to the International Solidarity Movement for their contribution to Timor-Leste’s independence.
He thanked the UN for its crucial role in Timor-Leste’s nation-building process: “I would like to thank all nations who had been contributing to building this new nation.”
Horta pledged to build dynamic bilateral ties with ASEAN member States and other countries.
“Efforts have been made and we will continue to work on all the preparation processes for ASEAN membership. And we will strengthen our bilateral ties with each of the ASEAN members States. We will also strengthen our diplomatic relations with European Union, South Korea, Japan, China, and also India,” he said.
He stressed that Timor-Leste needs to build good cooperation with the Eastern Indonesia provinces, especially the Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT).
The 20th Anniversary of the Restauration of the independence day was attended by the many International guests, including the outgoing President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres ‘Lu Olo’, President of the Republic of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone, and Chairman of g7+, Francis Mustapha Kai-Kai, special envoys of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), President of the National Parliament, Aniceto Guterres Lopes and Timorese former Prime Ministers and Presidents, and the Members of Parliament.
On behalf of the people of Timor-Leste: “I would like to thank the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone, and Chairman of g7+, Francis Mustapha Kai-Kai, the Singaporean Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, the Second Minister for Education, and the Second Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore, Mohd Maliki Osman, Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, MIYAKE Shingo, Governor-General of Australia, David Hurley, President of the National Assembly of São Tomé and Príncipe, Delfim Santiago das Neves, the other special envoys of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), the World Bank, and the European Union for your presence at this special commemoration.”
Jornalista: Nelso Sousa
Editor: Cancio Ximenes/Nelia Borges
Translation: Filomeno Martins
