VZCZCXRO4715
RR RUEHDT
DE RUEHDT #0026 0340150
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030150Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY DILI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4692
INFO RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 4260

UNCLAS DILI 000026 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR M, EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: APER AMGT TT
SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE: SAME-SEX DOMESTIC PARTNER ACCREDITATION 
 
REF: STATE 788 
 
¶1. (SBU) In response to reftel demarche, Ambassador Amorim Dias, 
National Director for Protocol, Consular, and Legal Affairs at 
the MFA told the DCM in a February 1 meeting that he did not 
anticipate any problem with the GOTL accrediting same-sex 
partners of U.S. diplomats assigned to Timor-Leste.  Dias noted, 
in fact, that there have already been one or two precedents for 
such a course of action within the diplomatic community in Dili. 
 He cautioned, however, that his view is based on his initial 
personal assessment and is not based on a comprehensive legal 
analysis of the issue. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) To the best of our knowledge, the decision on 
accreditation of same-sex partners in Timor-Leste rests solely 
with the MFA.  Permission for same-sex partners to seek local 
employment may, of course, involve other GOTL agencies. 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Comment: Post believes that there is unlikely to be a 
major problem with the accreditation of same-sex partners as 
long as the issue is handled discreetly and below the political 
radar screen.  On the other hand, Timor-Leste is an 
overwhelmingly Catholic and socially conservative country. 
Should this issue achieve a higher profile or be publicly 
discussed, it is quite possible that Catholic Church leaders 
might intervene and complicate any such accommodation. 
 
KLEMM