TIMOR-LESTE: SAME-SEX DOMESTIC PARTNER ACCREDITATION

UNCLAS DILI 000026

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR M, EAP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: APER AMGT TT
SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE: SAME-SEX DOMESTIC PARTNER ACCREDITATION

REF: STATE 788


1. (SBU) In response to reftel demarche, Ambassador Amorim Dias,
National Director for Protocol, Consular, and Legal Affairs at
the MFA told the DCM in a February 1 meeting that he did not
anticipate any problem with the GOTL accrediting same-sex
partners of U.S. diplomats assigned to Timor-Leste. Dias noted,
in fact, that there have already been one or two precedents for
such a course of action within the diplomatic community in Dili.
He cautioned, however, that his view is based on his initial
personal assessment and is not based on a comprehensive legal
analysis of the issue.




2. (SBU) To the best of our knowledge, the decision on
accreditation of same-sex partners in Timor-Leste rests solely
with the MFA. Permission for same-sex partners to seek local
employment may, of course, involve other GOTL agencies.




3. (SBU) Comment: Post believes that there is unlikely to be a
major problem with the accreditation of same-sex partners as
long as the issue is handled discreetly and below the political
radar screen. On the other hand, Timor-Leste is an
overwhelmingly Catholic and socially conservative country.
Should this issue achieve a higher profile or be publicly
discussed, it is quite possible that Catholic Church leaders
might intervene and complicate any such accommodation.

KLEMM