Australian PM to visit East Timor
Thursday, 26 July 2007
SYDNEY, July 25 (AFP): Australian Prime Minister John Howard said Wednesday he would visit East Timor Thursday for talks with President Jose Ramos-Horta.
Howard said he would also spend time with Australian troops and police helping maintain security in the country after violence erupted between rival groups in May last year, leaving 37 people dead.
The young country held national elections last month, but no party won an absolute majority and Ramos-Horta has said last week that he does not expect a government to be formed until next month.
The election was the impoverished nation's first since it won independence in 2002 following a bloody separation from occupying Indonesian forces.
Howard said he would also spend time with Australian troops and police helping maintain security in the country after violence erupted between rival groups in May last year, leaving 37 people dead.
The young country held national elections last month, but no party won an absolute majority and Ramos-Horta has said last week that he does not expect a government to be formed until next month.
The election was the impoverished nation's first since it won independence in 2002 following a bloody separation from occupying Indonesian forces.