18 July 2006, Dili - Prime Minister John Howard of Australia visited the UN Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL) today and was received by Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) Anis Bajwa who is acting as Officer in Charge.
The DSRSG and the Prime Minister exchanged ideas on the political and security situations in the country and discussed possible roles for the UN and Australia in the future.
Finn Reske-Nielsen, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Timor-Leste, briefed the Prime Minster on the humanitarian situation and thanked Australia for being the first to respond to last June's Flash Appeal for aid for Timor-Leste. The appeal, he said, was now almost fully funded. Other UN specialists briefed Howard on issues related to the national police and the current environment.
After the meeting, Bajwa said the discussions had been "constructive and useful."
"The prime minister asked for our understanding of the humanitarian, political and security situations and we were able to convey to him our point of view on all these areas," Bajwa said.
Howard was in Timor-Leste to show support for the new Prime Minister, Jose Ramos-Horta.
For more information contact Bob Sullivan, Spokesperson UNOTIL at +670 723 0794