Wellington – The governments of New Zealand and Timor-Leste on Wednesday signed a defense agreement to enable smoother cooperation between their armed forces.

Visiting Timor-Leste Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Dr. Jose Luis Guterres and New Zealand Defense Minister Dr. Jonathan Coleman signed a Status of Forces Agreement setting out the legal basis for New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) activities in Timor-Leste and vice-versa. Previously, an individual agreement was required for each activity.

"This agreement signifies how our bilateral relationship has matured, and it builds on the close working relationship between the New Zealand Defense Force and the Falintil Forcas de Defesa Timor-Leste (F-FDTL)," Coleman said in a statement.

More than 4,000 NZDF and New Zealand Police personnel had served in Timor-Leste, contributing to a number of missions since 1999 when they were deployed after a period of civil unrest.

"Security in Timor-Leste has evolved considerably in the last decade, and their police and military provide a stable and secure environment. New Zealand has played a key role assisting Timor-Leste since 1999, and we remain committed to Timor-Leste's stability and future prosperity," Coleman said.

"The Status of Forces Agreement captures the warmth and maturity of the bilateral relationship between our two militaries. The F-FDTL is a valued partner and we are committed to maintaining our strong relationship."

Five NZDF personnel were still deployed as technical advisers to the F-FDTL, assisting with language training, personnel and logistics management advice, and small arms training.

The New Zealand Police and the Policia Nacionale de Timor-Leste were also engaged in a four-year bilateral Timor-Leste community policing program, part of a Strategic Framework for Development with TimorLeste focusing on private sector investment, education and training, security, and justice.