Australia: With Timor-Leste, one of its closest neighbors in the Indo-Pacific, Australia has signed a new defense agreement that will allow increased military cooperation between the two countries, especially in the waters.

The agreement was reached as Timor-Leste president Jose Ramos-Horta agreed to speak at the National Press Club on Wednesday. During his speech, he urged Australia to do more to support the development of the Timor-economy. of leste

A new Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) makes it easier to conduct joint exercises and training, especially in the Timor Sea, by defining the protections provided to military personnel during their stay on each other's soil.

Additionally, it will enable better cooperation on missions to provide humanitarian assistance.

The announcement was made, according to Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, "a significant step forward in our partnership" and "a new chapter in Australia's close relationship with Timor-Leste".

He declared that as neighbours, we share a maritime region, the Timor Sea.

I am interested to know how DCA will support joint maritime patrol between Timor-Leste and Australia.

In light of rising tensions in the region, experts told the Guardian that the deal was "important" and "affirming close security cooperation".

Ramos' statement to The Guardian last month came after it concluded that if Australia and Woodside Energy decide against supporting a gas pipeline between the resource-rich Timor Sea and their country's southern shore, Timor-Leste Financial You can turn to China for help. to Darwin.

According to Ramos-Horta, the development of the Greater Sunrise areas is one of the major challenges facing his country.

When it comes to helping Timor-Leste consider new economic opportunities and challenges, he said, "we need more support from Australia." We are hoping that Australia will give us some opportunities to take advantage of these opportunities.

He praised his country's upcoming ASEAN membership and predicted escalating regional tensions.

Surprising tensions exist over Taiwan. Of course, North Korea should not be ignored," he said. However, Timor-Leste remains a bastion of peace.

The defense agreement, signed on Wednesday, represents "a significant upgrade in the bilateral defense relationship", according to Timor-Leste expert and Swinburne University of Technology professor Michael Leach.

They reaffirmed close security cooperation, including a shared maritime boundary, in the light of recent tensions in the region.

The agreement will be celebrated in Canberra, and observers will keep an eye out for any additional announcements regarding oil and gas processing downstream of the Greater Sunrise Field, which is the government of Timor-Top Leste's priority.

Relations with close neighbors have been strained recently, due to the search by the previous Australian government of attorney Bernard Colari and former intelligence officer Witness K.

Both were hailed as heroes in Timor-Leste, for their role in uncovering Australia's espionage operation during negotiations on Timor Sea resources in 2004.

Ramos-Horta commended the recent decision by the Attorney General, Mark Dreyfus, to drop the Kolari case.

He then told the Guardian, "I am glad that knowledge and fairness have prevailed.

Kolari participated in Wednesday's NPC address by Ramos-Horta.

Timor-Premier Leste's minister, Taur Matan Ruak, and cabinet currently holds the lion's share of the country's executive power, but Ramos-Horta wields considerable influence as a popularly elected president with veto power.

State's Upper Hunter region's coal mine expansion has received planning commission approval

Kapil Sharma performs a song by Mohammad Rafi in Melbourne; Watch

US company accused Chinese hackers of targeting Australia's government and Malaysia's Petronas