Arnaldo Musa – East Timorese Foreign Minister Zacarias Albano da Costa met with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque in Havana where he thanked the country for its continuous support of East Timor, "even under the most difficult circumstances."

On the first day of his official activity in Cuba, Albano da Costa said that the ties with Cuba will take on a new and more dynamic turn. He expressed his admiration for the spirit of sacrifice of the Cubans working in his country and spoke about the invaluable contribution from Cuban medical brigades and Cuban teachers working to eradicate illiteracy.

"The government and people of East Timor value the extraordinary and disinterested assistance and solidarity shown by Cuba throughout these years, including meeting the promise -made by Commander in Chief Fidel Castro in Kuala Lumpur in 2003 to Prime Minister Xanana Gusmaso- to strengthen ties," said the official.

Perez Roque recalled East Timor's first vote as an independent member of the United Nations when it did so on the resolution to put an end to the US blockade against Cuba."We will never forget that," he said.

The Cuban Foreign minister reiterated Cuba's commitment to continue collaborating with modesty and respect to improve the health and education of the sister nation. He said the island is proud of the work of its doctors and educators in East Timor, many thousands of miles from home.