COUNCIL OF MINISTERS DECENTRALIZES AND MEETS IN BAUCAU The Council of Ministers of the Second Transitional Government of East Timor today decided that their next formal meeting will be held in Baucau, some 100 km east of Dili, to "bring the Government's activities closer to the people," said Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers Gregório de Sousa.

"We want to decentralize the Government's activities, while allowing the Council a closer contact with the local problems and consult directly with the population," De Sousa added today at the end of the meeting.

The 15 November meeting will be the first to be held outside the capital Dili, and will be followed by meetings in all other districts of East Timor. It will have a closed session, followed by a meeting with local authorities on a "Baucau agenda", and a public discussion with the residents.

The agenda, being discussed with the local authorities, namely Bishop of Baucau Basílio do Nascimento, includes the "dollarization" campaign, agriculture and forestry matters, among other things.

Council also approved a proposal on the revision of the Ministry of Internal Administration's budget; and a strategic political document presented by the Minister for Transport and Communications on the national postal service.

In addition, Council discussed the organizational chart of the Ministry of Internal Administration, which will be looked upon at next Council's formal meeting. The Secretary of the Commission on Planning briefed the Council on the Poverty Assessment currently being carried out throughout the country.

Finally, the Secretary of State for Labor and Solidarity presented a project on the promotion of jobs in East Timor. On the short term, the project focuses on professional training and the creation of small enterprises. On the long term, it lays the foundation of an employment system and professional training in East Timor.

The seventh meeting was presided by Acting Chief Minister and Senior Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation José Ramos-Horta. Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri is currently in Mozambique on an official visit, where he met the President yesterday.

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY WORKS ON FIRST DRAFT CONSTITUTION

The Constituent Assembly President Francisco "Lú-Olo" Guterres today received the final report of the thematic group on "Rights, Duties, and Liberties/Defence and National Security." The report, which includes draft articles, will be delivered to the "Systematization and Harmonization" Commission tomorrow.

The "Systematization and Harmonization" Commission started yesterday the process of molding the draft Constitution of East Timor, which is expected to be presented to the plenary for discussion within 13 days.

For the past month, the Constituent Assembly's four thematic groups have been preparing the first set of draft articles. Now that this initial work is almost complete - only one group hasn't finish its report - the "Systematization and Harmonization" Commission will study the reports and shape the draft articles into one single text. Among its goals, the Commission will make sure that there are no omissions, repetitions, or contradictions, while giving cohesion and coherence to the text. The draft articles have been written in Portuguese.

The "Systematization and Harmonization" Commission stressed today that it will draft the Constitution based on the reports of the four thematic groups, adding recommendations that the members might have during their 13 days of discussions.

The Commission had already received the reports of the thematic groups on "Economic, Social and Financial Organization" and on "Fundamental Principles". The one missing is the group on "Organization of the State/Organization of Political Power."

In carrying its work, the "Systematization and Harmonization" Commission is supported by three staff from the Assembly's secretariat, two experts for both Indonesian and Portuguese languages and one Portuguese legal expert.