PREVIEW OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH ON AFGHANISTAN IN

UNCLAS DILI 000313 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL AF PK TT SUBJECT: PREVIEW OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH ON AFGHANISTAN IN TIMOR-LESTE REF: A) STATE 122731 AND B) STATE 122234 ¶1. Ambassador met on the evening of December 1 (local time) with Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta to share a preview of President Obama's West Point speech on Afghanistan (ref A). President Ramos-Horta thanked us for the early alert, said he intended to watch the speech live and pledged to issue a public statement in strong support of the increased U.S. commitment to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Early on December 2 (local time),the ambassador called on Foreign Minister Zacharias da Costa. After receiving our preview of President Obama's policy statement, FM Da Costa thanked the U.S. for its "critical" leadership and commitment to the security of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and stated the Timorese government will support the U.S. mission in Afghanistan "one hundred percent." ¶2. We will follow up with the Timorese president, as well as the prime and foreign ministers, once President Obama delivers his remarks. Post will also ensure the West Point speech receives maximum local media coverage and report on local reactions promptly. KLEMM