CABINET APPROVES FORMAT FOR TRAVEL DOCUMENT

The East Timor Transitional Cabinet today approved a format for the travel document that is currently issued by the Transitional Administration to East Timorese for travel abroad. The new design would modify the current id-card format to provide a passport-style booklet. The Cabinet requested the Cabinet Member for Internal Administration, Ana Pessoa, to work toward establishing the mechanisms to allow for a permanent passport for an independent East Timor. A regulation on travel documents will then be drafted. The Cabinet also gave its approval in principle to a number of proposals for projects to be funded within the existing budget. These proposals will be reviewed further in detail, and a list of recommended proposals will be presented next week to the National Council, for its approval. The Cabinet also endorsed a draft regulation establishing a regime to regulate the production, manufacture, possession, sale, import and export of firearms, ammunition and explosives. The draft regulation is restrictive and is intended to help ensure security in East Timor. The draft regulation will now be submitted to the National Council, for its consideration. Finally, the Cabinet received a briefing from the Cabinet Member for Political Affairs and the Timor Sea on ongoing deliberations on electoral matters.