COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETING APPROVES BUDGET

East Timor's Council of Ministers today discussed and approved a budget for the Constituent Assembly and the Second Transitional Government of East Timor that will now be sent to the Constituent Assembly for its consideration.

The agreed-upon budget for 2001-2002, which is in accordance with the US$65 million budget earmarked by the Consolidated Fund for East Timor, allocates US$ 927,000 for the Constituent Assembly and US$ 1.45 million for the Transitional Government.

The Council today also approved a set of guidelines to be followed by Government members when conducting visits abroad, and was presented with a range of proposals for celebrations marking the territory's upcoming independence.

The independence celebration proposals, presented by Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Dr. Jorge da Conceição Teme, include measures to promote East Timor overseas.

This was the third Council of Ministers meeting since the body was sworn in on September 20.

RECRUITMENT OF NEW DEFENCE FORCE MEMBERS TO BEGIN

The process of recruiting men and women to join the East Timor Defence Force (ETDF) is scheduled to begin next month. In the first phase, the Office for Defence Force Development is recruiting some 260 new soldiers above the age of 18, who are expected to begin basic training in January next year.

Next month's new recruits will be part of the formation of the second infantry battalion and also serve elsewhere in the new force structure of the ETDF.

The recruitment and selection process for the first 600-members of the ETDF was completed in January 2001 and 247 of these recruits completed their basic training, conducted by Portugal in June. A second group consisting of 350 recruits will end their basic training at the ETDF's new Australian-built training facility at Metinaro, near Dili, next month. Thirty-two of the first class of graduates are serving as instructors for the second basic training course, alongside ten Portuguese specialists. Areas covered include drills, weapon skills, and target practice.

The East Timor Transitional Cabinet approved the establishment of an East Timor Defence Force in September 2000. The new Defence Force will consist of a light infantry force of 1,500 regulars - to be recruited and trained over a three-year period - and 1,500 reservists. The initial 600 Ex-Falintil soldiers represent the core of the force.

The mission of the ETDF is to provide for the military defence of East Timor, its people and territory, by defeating minor incursions and deterring aggressors. In addition, it will provide assistance during natural disasters and other emergencies. The ETDF will be subordinated to the civil authority. For the duration of UNTAET's mandate, the Transitional Administrator will have command and control of the defence force, including the authority to appoint and dismiss its members.

East Timor will have its first full 480-member battalion by independence.