PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT RAMOS-HORTA BESTOWS COLLAR AND MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF TIMOR-LESTE UPON INTERNATIONAL RECEPIENTS FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE MARITIME BOUNDRY OF TIMOR SEA
Dili, May 15, 2025
President and Nobel Peace Laureate, J. Ramos-Horta bestowed the Order of Timor-Leste upon fifteen distinguished foreign nationals who made exceptional contributions to the establishment of Timor-Leste’s maritime borders with Australia in the Timor Sea. The Official Ceremony was held at the Nobre Palace.
In a formal decree (Presidential Decree No. 39/2025) signed on May 9, 2025, at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace, President Ramos-Horta recognized the invaluable service of legal experts, diplomats, and technical professionals who supported Timor-Leste during the historic United Nations Mandatory Conciliation process initiated in April 2016.
President Ramos-Horta bestowed the Collar Degree of the Order of Timor-Leste to three eminent legal scholars who served as Senior Advisers on the Law of the Sea:
- Professor Sir Elihu Lauterpacht (British national) – posthumously
- Professor Alan Vaughan Lowe (British national)
- Sir Michael Charles Wood (British national)
President Ramos-Horta also bestowed the Medal of the Order of Timor-Leste to twelve professionals for their exceptional contributions:
- Ambassador Peter Taksoe-Jensen (Danish) – President of the Conciliation Commission
- Judge Christian Rüdiger Wolfrum (German) – Commissioner appointed by Timor-Leste
- Judge Abdul Gadire Koroma (Sierra Leonean) – Commissioner appointed by Timor-Leste
- Dr. Rosalie Balkin (Australian) – Commissioner appointed by Australia
- Professor Donald Malcolm Macrae (Canadian/New Zealand) – Commissioner appointed by Australia
- Dr. Garth Lindgren Schofield (American) – Senior official, Permanent Court of Arbitration
- Dr. Martin Anstice Earlston Doe (Canadian/Spanish/American) – Senior officer, Permanent Court of Arbitration
- Dr. Janet Legrand (British) – Former partner and Chairman of DLA Piper
- Dr. Stephen Kenneth Kemp Webb (Australian) – Director of Energy Asia-Pacific, DLA Piper
- Dr. Gitanjali Bajaj (Australian) – Co-Head of International Arbitration, DLA Piper
- Dr. Robin William Cleverly (British) – Technical Consultant specializing in Geology
- Dr. Eran Nathan Sthoeger (Israeli/American) – Consultant in Public International Law
“The establishment of our permanent maritime boundaries represents a crucial milestone in our nation’s sovereignty,” said President Ramos-Horta. “These individuals demonstrated unwavering commitment to international law and justice, helping our young nation secure its rightful maritime territory and resources.”
The Treaty between Timor-Leste and Australia establishing permanent maritime boundaries was signed in March 2018 and entered into force in August 2019, marking a significant triumph in Timor-Leste’s journey since restoring independence on May 20, 2002.
This historic achievement secures Timor-Leste’s sovereign rights over its maritime resources and represents the culmination of years of diplomatic, legal, and technical efforts. The Maritime Boundary Treaty ensures that Timor-Leste’s natural resources will benefit current and future generations of Timorese citizens.
The Order of Timor-Leste is the highest honor that can be bestowed by the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. It was established to recognize exceptional contributions to the nation, its people, and humanity.
This act of acknowledgment by the President stands as a symbol of deep appreciation for each honoree’s unwavering dedication and contribution to Timor-Leste.
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KOMUNIKADU IMPRENSA
PREZIDENTE RAMOS-HORTA KONDEKORA GRAU KOLAR NO GRAU MEDALLA ORDEN TIMOR-LESTE BA RESIPIENTE INTERNASIONÁL SIRA NE’EBÉ FÓ KONTRIBUISAUN ESTRAORDINÁRIA BA FRONTEIRA MARÍTIMA IHA TASI TIMOR
Dili, 15 Maiu 2025
Prezidente no Laureadu Nobel ba Pas, J. Ramos-Horta, kondekora Orden Timor-Leste ba distintu sidadaun estranjeiru hamutuk na’in sanulu resin lima ne’ebé halo kontribuisaun estraordinária ba estabelesimentu fronteira marítima Timor-Leste nian ho Austrália iha Tasi Timor. Serimónia Ofisiál ne’e realiza iha Palásiu Nobre.
Iha dekretu formál ida (Dekretu Prezidensiál No. 39/2025) ne’ebé asina iha loron 9 fulan-Maiu tinan 2025, iha Palásiu Prezidensiál Nicolau Lobato, Prezidente Ramos-Horta rekoñese servisu folin-boot husi peritu legal sira, diplomata sira, no profisionál tékniku sira ne’ebé fó apoia Timor-Leste durante prosesu istóriku Konsiliasaun Obrigatóriu Nasoens Unidas nian ne’ebé inisia iha fulan-abril tinan 2016.
Prezidente Ramos-Horta kondekora Grau Kolár Orden Timor-Leste nian ba matenek-na’in legál eminente nain tolu ne’ebé hala’o kna’ar nu’udar Konselleiru Seniór kona-ba Lei Tasi nian:
- Profesór Sir Elihu Lauterpacht (sidasaun Britániku) – póstumamente;
- Profesór Alan Vaughan Lowe (sidasaun Britániku);
- Sir Michael Charles Wood (sidasaun Britániku).
Prezidente Ramos-Horta mós kondekora Grau Medalla Orden Timor-Leste nian ba profisionál hamutuk na’in sanulu resin rua ba sira-nia kontribuisaun esepsionál:
- Embaixadór Peter Taksoe-Jensen (Dinamarkés) – Prezidente Komisaun Konsiliasaun;
- Juíz Christian Rüdiger Wolfrum (Alemaña) – Komisáriu nomeadu husi Timor-Leste;
- Juíz Abdul Gadire Koroma (Sierra Leoa) – Komisáriu nomeadu husi Timor-Leste;
- Dr. Rosalie Balkin (Australianu) – Komisáriu nomeadu husi Austrália;
- Professor Donald Malcolm Macrae (Kanadianu/Nova Zelándia) – Komisáriu nomeadu husi Austrália;
- Dr. Garth Lindgren Schofield (Amerikanu) – Ofisiál Seniór, Tribunál Permanente Arbitrajen;
- Dr. Martin Anstice Earlston Doe (Kanadianu/Espanhól/Amerikanu) – Ofisiál Seniór, Tribunál Permanente Arbitrajen;
- Dr. Janet Legrand (Britániku) – Eis Parseiru no Prezidente DLA Piper;
- Dr. Stephen Kenneth Kemp Webb (Australianu) – Diretór Enerjia Ázia-Pasífiku, DLA Piper;
- Dr. Gitanjali Bajaj (Australianu) – Ko-Xefe Arbitrajen Internasionál, DLA Piper;
- Dr. Robin William Cleverly (Britániku) – Konsultór Tékniku espesializadu iha Jeolojia;
- Dr. Eran Nathan Sthoeger (Izraelita/Amerikanu) – Konsultór iha Direitu Internasionál Públiku.
“Estabelesimentu ba ita-nia fronteira marítima permanente reprezenta ona pasu importante ida iha ita-nia nasaun nia soberania,” dehan Prezidente Ramos-Horta. “Resipiente sira-ne’e hatudu kompromisu metin ba direitu internasionál no justisa, ajuda ita-nia nasaun foin-sa’e hodi hetan ninia territóriu marítima no rekursu sira ne’ebé loloos.”
Tratadu entre Timor-Leste no Austrália ne’ebé estabelese fronteira marítima permanente asina ona iha fulan-Marsu 2018 no tama iha vigór iha fulan-agostu 2019, marka susesu signifikativu ida iha Timor-Leste nia viajen dezde restaurasaun independénsia iha loron 20 fulan-Maiu tinan 2002.
Realizasaun istóriku ida-ne’e asegura Timor-Leste nia direitu soberanu ba ninia rekursu marítima no reprezenta kulminasaun tinan barak esforsu diplomátiku, legál, no tékniku. Tratadu Fronteira Marítima ne’e garante katak rekursu naturál Timor-Leste nian sei benefisia jerasaun atuál no futuru sidadaun Timoroan sira.
Orden Timor-Leste mak onra boot liu ne’ebé bele fó husi Repúblika Demokrátika Timor-Leste. Ida-ne’e estabelese atu rekoñese kontribuisaun estraordinária ba nasaun, ninia povu, no umanidade.
Atu rekoñesimentu ida-ne’e husi Prezidente nu’udar símbolu apresiasaun klean ba onradu ida-idak nia dedikasaun no kontribuisaun metin ba Timor-Leste.
REMATA//