Dili, Aug. 20, 2026 (Lusa) - The President of Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta, on Thursday called for a strategic partnership with Australia to share responsibilities and costs relating to patrolling, monitoring and ensuring maritime security within the framework of the Greater Sunrise development.
«This project is not merely an economic opportunity. It also represents an affirmation of national sovereignty and of Timor-Leste's capacity to manage its natural resources for the benefit of its people,» said Ramos-Horta at the ceremony marking the 51st anniversary of the National Liberation Armed Forces of Timor-Leste (Falintil) – Defence Forces of Timor-Leste (F-FDTL).
The ceremony took place at Abo Melari, at the foot of Mount Matebian (in the municipality of Baucau), a site of great significance to the Timorese people. As well as being a sacred site, it is also a symbol of resistance to the Indonesian occupation.
«It is against this backdrop that, in repeated speeches, I have emphasised that it is not possible to implement credible maritime security without a strong strategic partnership with Australia,» the Timorese head of state stressed in his speech released to the press.
According to the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Timor-Leste has a vast Exclusive Economic Zone and is unable to ensure «effective coverage and control of all the waters» under its jurisdiction.
Australia, he continued, is also «unable to control the entirety of its Exclusive Economic Zone».
«I therefore renew my call for common sense to prevail on this matter, by initiating serious negotiations with a view to sharing responsibilities and the costs of patrolling, monitoring and controlling our waters,» said José Ramos-Horta.
He also emphasised that this partnership must be «accompanied by concrete measures aimed at ensuring the capacity-building» of Timor-Leste's naval defence forces and the training of human resources.
Greater Sunrise is one of the largest gas fields in the Timor Sea, situated between the southern coast of Timor-Leste and northern Australia. It is vital for the economic development of Timor-Leste, which maintains that the gas should be transported via a pipeline to its coast.
During his speech, he also called for the modernisation of the country's defence forces, as «the security of states no longer depends solely on military capability».
«New threats include cyber-attacks, manipulation of information, technological risks, transnational crime, climate change and disputes over strategic resources. Therefore, the modernisation of the [Timor-Leste Defence Forces] must be an ongoing commitment,» said Ramos-Horta.
He also highlighted strategic defence partnerships with Australia and Portugal, as well as the growing cooperation with Brazil, China, South Korea, the United States, India, Indonesia, Japan and New Zealand.
«At the same time, it is essential to diversify and strengthen our defence relations with our partners in ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] and with other countries in the international community,» he said.
«With regard to cooperation with China, Timor-Leste will continue to advocate an approach based on dialogue, cooperation and respect for international law,» he stated.
«We understand that there are historical, strategic, commercial and economic rivalries between major powers, but we believe that regional peace and stability require the strengthening of mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation between ASEAN and the major powers, including China, India, the US and the countries of the European Union,» he added.
On Wednesday, Timor-Leste signed a defence cooperation agreement with China, which prioritises the development of human resources, logistics, military education and the development of military healthcare infrastructure.
The agreement was signed during a visit to Dili by China's defence minister, Dong Jun, which concludes today.
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