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Bishop to meet new East Timor government

A 10-day trip to south-east Asia for Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop will begin in East Timor to meet the country's new government.

Bishop
Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop will begin a 10-day trip to south-east Asia on Sunday. (AAP)

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop will begin a 10-day trip to south-east Asia on Sunday that will include meeting the new leaders of Malaysia and East Timor where elections were recently held.

Ms Bishop will start the trip in Dili, which has a new government following the May election won by Xanana Gusmao's Change for Progress Alliance.

"We will discuss deepening our cooperation in security, development and the economy opening a new chapter in the Australia-Timor-Leste relationship, and following the signing of a treaty establishing our permanent maritime boundaries," Ms Bishop said.

The diplomatic relationship has been strained recently over the Australian government laying criminal charges against former spy "Witness K" and lawyer Bernard Collaery.

The pair revealed that Australia spied on East Timor's cabinet in 2004 during negotiations about an oil and gas treaty.

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It will be her first visit to Malaysia since its historic general election in May, which saw the first change in government since it's independence in 1957.

Former leader Mahathir Mohamad, 93, won in a shock victory after defecting to the opposition.

She will also visit Singapore and Indonesia, saying the trip aimed to "reaffirm Australia's commitment to remaining a leading partner to our regional neighbours in Southeast Asia".


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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