President Ramos Horta visits Kiwi Troops

President Ramos Horta dines with Kiwi and Australian troops

30 October 2007

Timor Leste’s President, Dr Jose Ramos Horta, took time out of his schedule to lunch with New Zealand and Australian troops in Dili on Monday, 29 October 2007.

Accompanied by the Australian and New Zealand Ambassadors, the President expressed his personal appreciation of the “efforts and sacrifices” of the International Stabilisation Force (of which about 170  are New Zealand personnel and 1,100 are Australian). He also passed on the gratitude of the nation of Timor Leste as a whole.

Before addressing the ISF troops in the dining hall at the HOPD (Helicopter Point of Departure/Disembarkation) Dr Ramos Horta toured the local medical facility, ASPEN MEDICAL.  He spoke of hoped-for upgrades to paths and roads around Dili and improvements to the gardens around Government House.

New Zealand’s Ambassador to Timor Leste, Ruth Nuttall, also chatted with  NZ personnel over lunch where they discussed their experiences of the capital city of Dili.

Ends