Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LISBON48
2007-01-05 17:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lisbon
Cable title:  

EAST TIMOR: PORTUGAL'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Tags:  PREL PGOV MOPS TT PO 
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VZCZCXRO0800
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHLI #0048/01 0051709
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 051709Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5456
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0535
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI PRIORITY
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 0373
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0137
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1461
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LISBON 000048 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS TT PO
SUBJECT: EAST TIMOR: PORTUGAL'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
TRAVELS TO DILI TO ASSESS SITUATION

REF: STATE 197714

LISBON 00000048 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Dep Pol/Econ Couns Cari Enav for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


Summary

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LISBON 000048

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS TT PO
SUBJECT: EAST TIMOR: PORTUGAL'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
TRAVELS TO DILI TO ASSESS SITUATION

REF: STATE 197714

LISBON 00000048 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Dep Pol/Econ Couns Cari Enav for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


Summary


1. (U) Jose Luis Arnaut, Chairman of Parliament's Foreign
Affairs Committee, led a multi-party delegation to East Timor
in late November/early December to evaluate the state of play
after a tumultuous year. In June 2006, Portugal sent its
paramilitary police force - the Republican National Guard
(GNR) - to Dili in direct response to a Timorese government
request to help stabilize the situation. In August 2006 the
GNR became part of the UN Integrated Mission in Timor Leste
(UMMIT). Arnaut underscored three distinct areas which the
international community needed to address - 1) Social
Integration: Over half the population was under the age of
25, uneducated, and unemployed; 2) Political/Institutional
Capacity Building: President Xanana Gusmao and former Prime
Minister Mari Alkatiri had to present a united front and
reconcile their political differences to build public
institutions and trust; and 3) Security: Progress on the
security front was slow and would probably require at least
three years of international military and police presence.
The delegation also stopped in Jakarta and Canberra to
exchange views and coordinate next steps.

Special Mission to East Timor


2. (SBU) Per agreement between the Portuguese and Timorese
Parliaments, Jose Luis Arnaut, Chairman of Parliament's
Foreign Affairs Committee, led a group of parliamentarians to
Dili in late November/early December to evaluate the
situation there. A member of the opposition Social
Democratic Party, Arnaut underscored the inclusive nature of
the delegation which consisted of members from the ruling
Socialist party, the Conservative Popular Party, the
Communist Party and the Left Bloc. The group also visited
Canberra and Jakarta. Arnaut told Pol/Econ DepCouns that he
had submitted a confidential report to the Prime Minister,
President and Parliament recommending next steps and offered

to share his main concerns. He was reluctant, however, to
share his concrete proposals until the government had had a
chance to absorb and react to them. The Prime Minister is
expected to outline Portugal,s future strategy for
involvement in the region in January.

Fighting for Sport


3. (SBU) Arnaut saw East Timor,s social ills as the most
challenging issue facing the newly-independent nation. Dili
was most problematic, with over 20,000 displaced people,
low-quality health and educational facilities and poor
security. Half of the population was under the age of 25,
uneducated and unemployed. There were no social or
government institutions to provide services to these youths
who were used to government handouts and unwilling to work.
Though originally motivated by political rivalry, Arnaut
asserted, these youths were now "fighting for sport." The
government needed to build schools, provide jobs, and offer
hope for a brighter future, Arnaut said, adding that it would
probably take at least a generation of concerted effort to
turn the situation around.

United Front:


4. (SBU) Portugal wholeheartedly supported the joint
demarche's (reftel) message, encouraging President Xanana
Gusmao and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri to present a united
front to the Timorese. Arnaut noted that Alkatiri had
already begun to do so in his December 10 speech outlining
his vision of East Timor's future. (Note: This speech was
delivered even before our joint demarche in Dili was.)
Nevertheless, Portugal continued to underscore to Gusmao and
to Alkatiri the importance of making joint public appearances
and statements, supporting the creation of public
institutions and building trust. The fact that Alkatiri had
been absolved of all charges on December 21 would also help
pave the way for greater conciliation and cooperation.

Election Issues Apparently Resolved but Differences Remain


5. (SBU) MFA Director for Asian Affairs Albergaria told
Pol/Econ DepCouns on Dec 22 that the contentious election
issue had apparently been resolved, with Gusmao and Alkatiri

LISBON 00000048 002.2 OF 002


agreeing to hold the legislative vote before the presidential
in advance of the May 2007 rainy season. Neither Arnaut nor
Albergaria raised concerns regarding the international
community role's in ensuring that the elections were free and
fair since their immediate concern was resolving the thorny
issues of election timing and order. Despite overcoming this
hurdle, major differences remain between the two political
rivals. Both Gusmao and Alkatiri share the common goal of
employing the masses through public works though they differ
on how to fund the effort. According to Arnaut, Gusmao wants
to spend all the oil revenue now to build the country while
Alkatiri supports a gradual spending approach over time.
Religion was also a factor, with the country,s Catholic
majority supporting the Catholic Gusmao while the Muslim
Alkitiri enjoyed the support of the Fretilin party.

Security Situation Fragile


6. (C) Arnaut and Albergaria both commented that the UN had
pulled its forces out too early in 2002 before the Timorese
had had time to build strong national military and police
institutions. Having returned first under a bilateral
agreement with East Timor and then transitioning to UNMIT in
2006, Portugal envisioned a minimum three year stay until
Dili would be able to manage on its own. Arnaut noted that
cooperation and coordination with other foreign forces were
proceeding smoothly and that Portugal,s 130 paramilitary
police officers from the Republican National Guard (GNR) had
just begun to train the East Timor Rapid Intervention Unit,
an elite force of the Timorese National Police. He did not
comment on the delegation,s recommendation regarding the
adequacy of current foreign troop strength nor on Portuguse
thinking on adjustments to its GNR deployment.

Coordinating with Canberra and Jakarta


7. (SBU) Arnaut,s delegation stopped in Canberra and
Jakarta to underscore Portugal's desire to help bring
stability to the region. Portugal was not interested in
geopolitics, political rivalries or commercial ventures in
East Timor, Arnaut declared. It only wanted to reinforce the
joint message that Timorese politicians needed to work
together for a bright future, to educate the people and put
them to work. In Canberra, the delegation met with the
Foreign Minister, the Speaker of Parliament and other Members
in an effort to establish personal contacts, share opinions
and exchange information. The delegation also met with
senior members of the government in Jakarta. Although the
Indonesians were thankful for the visit, Arnaut implied that
they wanted to remain outside the conflict.

Comment


8. (C) East Timor holds a special place in the Portuguese
national psyche, with the population strongly in favor of
helping its former colony become a viable state. As an ally
in the effort to bring regional stability, Portugal believes
it can play a distinctively useful role in the political
arena as a mediator. Portugal has the advantage of having
reached out to both sides of the political spectrum, Arnaut
asserted, whereas Australia and others have not cultivated
ties with the Fretilin Party and Alkatiri. Arnaut expressed
his view that Portugal,s top two non-military objectives
were ensuring the adoption of the Portuguese language as part
of its legacy and building a functional judicial system via
the Community of Portuguese Speaking Nations (CPLP). As this
trip was not an initiative sponsored by the Prime Minister,
it is unclear how the delegation's findings and
recommendations will be reflected in government policy,
despite the multi-party nature of the group.
O'Neal