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Prime Minister of East Timor in
Havana
“WE wish to develop good bilateral relations and
facilitate cooperation in the sectors of medicine,
agriculture, energy and others,” affirmed Prime
Minister Mari Bim Amude Alkatiri of the Democratic
Republic of Timor-Leste, on his arrival at José
Martí International Airport this Saturday at the
invitation of President Fidel Castro Ruz.
He
also had words of praise for the 65 Cuban doctors
who are lending their services in Timor-Leste, and
explained that 228 Timorese students have medical
scholarships on the island, AIN reports.
Mr. Mari Bim Amude Alkatiri was met at the airport
by Felipe Pérez Roque amd Luis Ignacio Gómez,
foreign and education ministers, respectively.
The premier is accompanied by a delegation made up
of Rui Maria de Araujo, health minister in that
Asian country; and other government officials and
figures.
The visit will contribute to reinforcing
political, cooperative and solidarity links
between the governments and peoples of both
countries, which have reached an excellent level
since diplomatic relations were established in
2002 after the independence of Timor-Leste.
Mari Bim Amude Aikatiri and his delegation are to
have official talks with President Fidel Castro
and meet with other Cuban authorities and leaders.
They are also to tour places of historical,
scientific and economic interest in the country.
With a population of some 770,000 inhabitants, the
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste is located in
South-East Asia and extends over the eastern half
of the island of Timor, the neighboring islands of
Atauro and Jaco and also Oecussi-Ambeno, a
politival enclave of Timor-Leste located on the
western side of the island.
Formerly called Portuguese Timor, after a complex
UN-sponsored procedure and a referendum on
self-determination, it attained its independence
on May 20, 2002 and is confronting a major
challenge in the reconstruction of its
infrastructure and the strengthening of the young
governmental administration.
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