TIMOR-LESTE PARTICIPATION IN JUNE LAUNCH EVENTS

UNCLAS DILI 000142 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR EAP/MTS AND DRL - CAMPONOVO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PGOV PHUM TT SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE PARTICIPATION IN JUNE LAUNCH EVENTS REF: A) STATE 50320, B) DILI 122 ¶1. (U) On May 15 we met with Vicky Tchong, Secretary General of Timor-Leste's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to invite Timor-Leste to send two participants to the upcoming Asia Pacific Democracy Partnership electoral observation mission and meeting to be held in Mongolia from June 25 and July 2 (reftel A). We added that the USG would likely be willing fund the travel of the two officials. Ms. Tchong responded that the Timor-Leste's MFA is experiencing major staffing gaps and "it would be very difficult" to dispense with an official during the time frame. She said it might be easier to select a participant once she had seen the agenda for the meeting. ¶2. (U) Ms. Tchong said that Timor-Leste might be willing to send a member of one of its two election oversight bodies, the National Electoral Council (CNE) or Technical Secretariat for Election Administration (STAE) to participate in the election monitoring mission. ¶3. (SBU) Post also informed the International Republican Institute's Dili office that we were extending this invitation. ¶4. (SBU) Comment. Despite Timor-Leste's enthusiasm in principle for participating in the APDP (ref B),the timing may not be optimal for the MFA. The Multilateral Affairs section currently has one staffer and the Bilateral Affairs section will soon be completely vacant, according to Ms. Tchong. She added that there will soon be an intake of new MFA personnel, but the interview and hiring process would also tie up staff currently in place. The MFA's disorganization and chronic understaffing is impacting our cooperation with the GOTL in many areas. End comment. KLEMM