CANBERRA, ACT, Jan. 28 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release:

Your Excellency, President Jose Ramos-Horta.

Your Excellency, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão.

Your Excellency, President of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste, Maria Fernanda Lay.

Ministers, Vice Ministers and Secretaries of State of the Government of Timor-Leste.

And Members of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste.

Boatarde.

Thank you for your warm welcome, and for granting me the great honour of addressing your Parliament, the heart of your proud democracy.

Timor-Leste is a magnificent country, and Dili is a magnificent city.

Set within a landscape of such deep natural beauty and positioned on the edge of a shining sea.

From th...