Australia's foreign minister Alexander Downer has meet his East Timorese counterpart, Jose Ramos Horta, to discuss recent unrest in the developing nation.

Four people were killed recently when a gang armed with automatic rifles stormed villages in East Timor. It was the worst violence in the country since 1999.

Mr Ramos Horta says he understands the travel warning issued by Australian authorities, but says he believes Australians in the country are safe.

He says relations between the two nations remain strong, and says East Timor will appoint an ambassador to Canberra soon.

"So far we have not appointed an ambassador, but it has only to do with the fact that it is far too important and we don't have too many choices of effective spokesperson that we can send to Australia," Mr Ramos Horta says.