Foreign relations of East Timor

Both countries established diplomatic relations on September 20, 2011.[4]

• Angola is accredited to East Timor from its embassy in Singapore.
• East Timor has an embassy in Luanda.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 December 2003.

Australia and East Timor are near neighbours with close political and trade ties. For many years Australia implicitly supported the Indonesian occupation of East Timor, giving priority to the policy of maintaining good relations with Indonesia. This policy was however changed in the late 1990s, when Australia began to support the UN. Since then, Australia has played a prominent role in the young republic's history. Australia led the military force that helped stabilise the country after it chose independence from Indonesia in 1999 and also after the internal conflict in 2006 and has been a major source of aid since.

• Australia has an embassy in Dili.
• East Timor has an embassy in Canberra and consulates-general in Darwin and Sydney.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on April 15, 2003.[5]

Brazil and East Timor are both Portuguese-speaking and relations are friendly. Brazil has a co-operation program with East Timor, that includes a wide range of areas, including labour policy, justice, national security, culture, agriculture, education, governance, sports, environment and health.

• Brazil has an embassy in Dili.
• East Timor has an embassy in Brasília.

• China has an embassy in Dili.
• East Timor has an embassy in Beijing.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on February 5, 2003.[6][7]

• Cuba has an embassy in Dili.
• East Timor has an embassy in Havana.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on June 12, 2002.[8]

Georgia is represented in Timor by its embassy in Jakarta.[9]

Relations between East Timor and India date back to the early modern period. Indian traders traveled to the island in search of sandalwood. Trade links increased after the Portuguese colonisation of East Timor and portions of India. The Portuguese set up various garrisoned centres in India to carry out this trade, and all of Portugal's territories in Asia, including East Timor, were governed by the Portuguese Viceroy in Goa. Portuguese-trained Goan missionaries arrived in East Timor in the early 17th century, and were influential in spreading Catholicism in the country. Indians also traveled to East Timor to serve as soldiers, colonial bureaucrats, and missionaries. Some Indians arrived in East Timor in the late 19th century to work as migrant labour. A small community of Timorese nationals of Goan descent trace their heritage back to these previous generations of immigrants.[10]

India was the second country to recognize the independence of East Timor.[10] Minister of State for External Affairs Omar Abdullah led a high-level delegation representing India at East Timor's Independence Day celebrations in May 2002. Abdullah presented letters of felicitations from the President, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Foreign Minister. Diplomatic relations between the two countries was formally established on 24 January 2003. At the UN General Assembly in 2003, East Timor Prime Minister Alkatiri announced his country's support for India's candidature for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.[11]

India diplomats Kamlesh Sharma and Atul Khare served as the Special Representative of Secretary General (SRSG) in East Timor until 2004 and 2009 respectively. India's DPR in New York was a member of the UN Security Council appointed team that visited East Timor in November to assess the situation on the ground and seek feedback from the all parties regarding the withdrawal of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT)’s and the situation in the country post-withdrawal.[11]

East Timor voted for India's candidature for a non-permanent seat during 2011–12. The country also supported the election of Poonam Khetrapal Singh for the post of Regional Director, South East Asia Regional office (SEARO), WHO in September 2013. East Timor co-sponsored a resolution moved by India at the UN General Assembly in January 2015, to declare 21 June as International Yoga Day.[11]

Several high-level visits between officials of the two countries have taken place. East Timorese Vice Minister of Health Natalia D. Araujo visited Delhi to participate in the International Conference on Traditional Medicine for South East Asian Countries in February 2013, and is the first East Timorese government official to visit India. Finance Minister Emilia Pires visited India in May 2013 to attend the ADB Governors’ Meeting. Hernani Coelho was the first East Timorese Foreign Minister to India. He arrived in the country on a two-day visit in 27–29 March 2016 and met with the Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, Minister of State (VKS) and the Minister of Health & Family Welfare.[11]

Despite the traumatic past, relations with Indonesia are very good. Indonesia is by far the largest trading partner of East Timor (Approximately 50% of imports, 2005) and is steadily increasing its share. The East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee meets to survey and delimit land boundary; and Indonesia is seeking resolution of East Timorese refugees in Indonesia.

Both countries established diplomatic relations in May 2002.[12]

• East Timor has an embassy in Tokyo.
• Japan has an embassy in Dili.[13]

Both countries established diplomatic relations on September 27, 2013.[14]

Both countries established diplomatic relations on September 27, 2013.[15]

Malaysia has contributed to many UN peacekeeping missions on the country, such as one are the Operation Astute during the 2006 East Timorese crisis.[16] Malaysia also has provided assistance to Timor-Leste in the area of human resources development through various training programmes and providing assistance to East Timor in its nation building efforts.[16] Currently, Malaysia has been consider by East Timorese as a model to develop their countries.[17][18]

East Timor has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur,[19] and Malaysia has an embassy in Dili.[20]

Both countries established diplomatic relations on May 20, 2003.[21]

Honorary consulate of Mexico in Dili

• East Timor is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.[22]
• Mexico is accredited to East Timor from its embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia and maintains an honorary consulate in Dili.[23]

Both countries established diplomatic relations on June 30, 1967.[24]

Both countries established diplomatic relations on September 10, 2010.[25]

The close relations between Mozambique and East Timor are old, coming already from the time when both territories were Portuguese colonies. Before the independence, several Timorese political leaders lived in exile in Mozambique, including the present President of East Timor José Ramos-Horta and the former Prime-Minister Mari Alkatiri. Both the countries are members of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP).

• East Timor has an embassy in Maputo.
• Mozambique is accredited to East Timor from its embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.

• East Timor has an embassy in Wellington.
• New Zealand has an embassy in Dili.

The Philippines is one of the biggest contributor to the UN-backed peacekeeping missions in Timor-Leste even before the East Timor became independent from Indonesia.

Being the only two predominantly Catholic nation in Asia, relations with the Philippines became very positive as soon as East Timor was multilaterally recognised as an independent state. The two countries are now engaged in a growing commercial relationship, as well as cultural and educational exchanges. The Philippines is a vocal supporter of Timor-Leste's membership in ASEAN.

On 6 June 2013, both countries signed three agreements in Manila concerning infrastructure development, defence and education.[26]

Embassy of Portugal in Dili

East Timor was a colony of Portugal for over 400 years. As a former Portuguese colony, East Timor has a significant proportion of Portuguese speakers. Portuguese is one of the two official languages of Timor and it is a full member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries.

From 1986, Portugal started to make the self-determination of East Timor a major concern of its diplomatic policy, at a time when the occupation of this country by Indonesia was still a matter forgotten by the international community. The diplomatic efforts from Portugal were able to achieve a growing international support, including from countries, as Australia and the USA, that hitherto implicitly supported the Indonesian occupation. This efforts would eventually lead to a referendum and the independence of East Timor in 2002.

Other ties include connections between the National University of Timor-Leste and Coimbra University, and between the military forces of East Timor and Portugal.

• East Timor has an embassy in Lisbon.
• Portugal has an embassy in Dili.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on December 20, 2002.[27]

Russia was one of the first countries to recognise East Timor’s independence and took part in nearly all UN aid programs, providing food and relief personnel, including civil and transport aviation pilots.[28] After the shooting of José Ramos-Horta (former president of East Timor), the Russian ministry said; "The Russian side expresses its concern over the attempt on the life of the East Timor president, and hopes political stability in East Timor will be maintained, as a fundamental condition for a successful solution to the complicated problems it is facing. And in the interests of strengthening national unity and ensuring social and economic development."

Russia is represented in East Timor through its embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Serbia is represented in Timor by its embassy in Jakarta.[29]

Both countries established diplomatic relations on May 20, 2002.[30][5]

The establishment of diplomatic relations between the East Timor and the Republic of Korea began on 20 May 2002.

Turkey is represented in Timor by its embassy in Jakarta.[31]

Embassy of the United States in Dili

The United States has a large bilateral development assistance program, $20.6 million in 2007, and also contributes funds as a major member of a number of multilateral agencies such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. The US Peace Corps has operated in East Timor since 2002, but it suspended operations in May 2006 due to unrest and instability.

• East Timor has an embassy in Washington, D.C.
• United States has an embassy in Dili.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on July 28, 2002.[32][33]