CABINET DISCUSSES BUDGET

The East Timor Transitional Cabinet today discussed, in detail, the Consolidated Fund for East Timor budget for the fiscal year 2001-2002. Tomorrow, it will be considering a “combined sources” budget, involving all sources of public finance in East Timor. This also includes the Trust Fund for East Timor, bilateral funding, and the United Nations Assessed Contributions Budget. Cabinet Members and Emília Pires, the head of National Planning and Development Agency, Fernando DePeralto, General Manager of Central Payments Office and Richard Warren, the director of Central Administrative Service have already met individually with the Standing Committee on Budget and Finance to discuss the budget. Once the Cabinet approves a proposed budget, it will be submitted to the National Council for its consideration.

OVER 42 PER CENT OF EAST TIMORESE POPULATION REGISTERED

Four members of the East Timor Transitional Cabinet registered with the Civil Registration today. SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello accompanied Ana Pessoa, Cabinet Member for Internal Administration, Mari Alkatiri, Cabinet Member for Economic Affairs, Father Filomeno Jacob, Cabinet Member for Social Affairs, and João Carrascalão, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, to one of the six permanent civil registration sites in Dili. The Cabinet members joined over 42 per cent of the estimated East Timorese population – more than 346,000 people – who have been registered by UNTAET’s Civil Registration Unit as of yesterday, 14 May. The leading district is still Manatuto, with almost 68 per cent of the estimated population registered. In Aileu, the registration is over 56 per cent. Three other districts, Ainaro, Same and Lospalos, have registered more than half of the estimated population. At least five sub-districts have registered over 95 per cent of the estimated population and some have already finished the process. Currently, about 13,000 East Timorese are registered every day, compared to approximately 2,000 when the registration process started on 16 March.

BILATERAL TALKS IN INDONESIA

Bilateral talks between UNTAET and Indonesia started today in Denpasar on various issues. The delegations will discuss the registration of refugees in West Timor, citizenship, maritime delineation, the situation on East Timorese students in Indonesia, archives, assets and claims, pensions, cultural heritage the Oecussi transit corridor, bilateral air services, postal links and diplomatic missions, among other things. Kirsty Sword-Gusmão joined UNTAET’s delegation to discuss the case of Juliana dos Santos, an East Timorese girl who was abducted by retreating militia in September 1999 and who is currently living with her captor in West Timor. The UNTAET delegation is led by the Cabinet Member for Political Affairs, Peter Galbraith, and consists of representatives from different UNTAET departments, including East Timorese staff from the Foreign Affairs Office and the Border Service. The talks end tomorrow, Wednesday.

PRELIMINARY REPORT ON UNTAET ASSETS PRESENTED TO SRSG

Johannes Wortel, head of the working group of the Integrated Mission Task Force, assigned to complement the work of the Working Group on post-UNTAET Planning, left Dili yesterday after a week’s stay. The other members of the team left today. The post-UNTAET Working Group was established in April by SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello and is headed by Emília Pires, from National Planning and Development Agency. Before returning to New York, Wortel, the former Director of Administration of UNTAET, presented a preliminary report to the SRSG on which UNTAET assets could be handed-over to a future independent East Timorese Government. Once discussed in New York by the Integrated Mission Task Force, these recommendations should be reflected in the 2001/2002 budget.

NEW MARKET IN MANATUTO

The first market in Laclubar Sub-district, Manatuto district, was officially opened by the Manatuto District Administrator, Abel dos Santos Fátima on Sunday, 13 May. The market project was funded by USAID with a total of $US11,300 and implemented by the Laclubar Youth Organization. Markets are held every Thursday and Sunday with people from neighboring areas bringing goods to sell.