Dili, 17 February 2015 – H.E. the President of the Republic, Taur Matan Ruak, received today, Monday, at the Presidential Palace, the credentials of 15 ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
The ambassadors who presented their letters of credence to the Head of State represent the following countries:
- 3 countries in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Singapore and Myanmar
- 9 European countries: Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Cyprus, Belgium, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Bulgaria
- Other countries: Equator, Equatorial Guinea, Vanuatu.
At a ceremony held at 8 a.m., the Head of State received the letters of credence from the following ambassadors: Ambassador Buskron Prugsapongs of Thailand, Ambassador Sudesh Maniar of Singapore, Ambassador Paivi Marjatta Hiltunen-Toivio of Finland, Ambassador Casper Klyngem of Denmark, Ambassador Rodrigo Riofrio of Equator, Ambassador Geoffrey Keating of Ireland, Ambassador Johanna Brismar Skoong of Sweden, Ambassador Loanna Malliotis of Cyprus, Ambassador Patrick Hermann of Belgium and, lastly, Ambassador U San Myint Oo of Myanmar.
The afternoon ceremony continued with the presentation of letters of credence by Ambassador Kalfau Kaloris of Vanuatu, Ambassador Yvonne Baumann of Switzerland, Ambassador José Dougan Chubum of Equatorial Guinea, Ambassador Moazzam Malik of the United Kingdom and Ambassador Sergey Michev of Bulgaria.
The Ambassador of Thailand is the only resident ambassador in Dili. The remaining ambassadors reside in Jakarta, Canberra, Beijing, Singapore and Lisbon.
At the ceremony, the ambassadors expressed their commitment to intensify the co-operation with Timor-Leste in several development areas.
Present at the ceremony were H.E. Hernani Coelho and Roberto Soares, respectively Minister and Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Chief of the Civil House Fidelis Leite Magalhães and technical advisors to the Presidency.