VZCZCXRO0721
OO RUEHDT
DE RUEHDT #0395/01 3620528
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 280528Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY DILI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3797
INFO RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA IMMEDIATE 0940
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK IMMEDIATE 0839
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA IMMEDIATE 0055
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR IMMEDIATE 0048
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 0807
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHOVVKG/COMSEVENTHFLT
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 3210

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DILI 000395 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
SEVENTH FLEET FOR VADM CROWDER 
PACOM FOR POLADS, STATE FOR EAP/MTS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL TT
SUBJECT: USS PORT ROYAL CONDUCTS SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO DILI 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  The USS Port Royal visited Dili on December 
10-12, a visit that all of Post's contacts characterized as 
extremely successful.  The ship's engagements with the host 
nation, the United Nations Integrated Mission to Timor-Leste, 
and the Australian-led International Stabilization Force (ISF) 
were well and tightly executed.  The citizens of Dili welcomed 
community relations activities undertaken by the Port Royal's 
crew, its captain's generous donation of toys and medical 
equipment to a major local charity, and the presence of our 
sailors able to enjoy liberty.  Senior GOTL officials, including 
the President and Speaker of Parliament, visited the Port Royal 
and emphasized their appreciation for the return of a U.S. 
warship to Timor waters.  End summary. 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  The December 10-12 visit of the USS Port Royal (PRL) 
was very well-received and successfully conducted.  Major events 
were as follows: four community relations activities (COMRELs) 
consisting of two schools and one chapel painted, and equipment 
at the National Hospital repaired; one Project Handclasp event 
with the Dili Diocese which involved the donation of four 
pallets worth of toys and hygiene products; office calls to the 
Secretary of State for Defense, the Timor-Leste Defense Force 
 
SIPDIS 
(F-FDTL) Commander, and the ISF Commander; a VIP reception 
aboard ship which included a senior UN delegation; a soccer 
tournament between teams from the PRL, ISF, and F-FDTL; ship 
tours provided to both the President of the Republic and to 
F-FDTL's maritime component; and deck landing qualification 
training with helicopter pilots from the ISF.  The ship's 
captain also attended a reception hosted by the Japanese 
Ambassador to Timor-Leste.  Several of these events were 
favorably covered by the local media. 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Anchorage for the PRL was established about two 
kilometers out from Dili Port due to the relatively shallow 
water depth within, was open and safe, and no complications were 
encountered.  According to the ship's captain, security in the 
Dili pier area was excellent.  Local officials established 
vehicle entrance control measures, to include an armed detail 
which oversaw personnel entrance into PRL's service boat launch 
site. 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Liberty for sailors included access to entertainment 
spots along the Dili beachfront, extending from the Embassy Dili 
in the west, to the Christo Rei beach in the east.  Scuba diving 
and snorkeling tours were also organized and conducted for a 
total of about 15 sailors.  The U.S. Navy's regional husbanding 
agent, Glenn Marine, arranged for bus transport of sailors along 
the beachfront.  Additionaly, the Embassy was able to provide a 
drinks and barbeque concession to nearly 100 sailors who visited 
the compound's swimming pool.  Sailors were given a back-on-ship 
curfew of 1900 hours daily, and there were zero adverse 
incidents.  Additionally, local proprietors emphatically 
remarked as to the courteousness of sailors encountered, and 
Timorese coordinators at the respective COMREL sites were very 
pleased by the effort sailors put into their projects. 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The visit was dependent upon security provided by a 
combination of forces from the United Nations Police (UNPOL), 
ISF, and F-FDTL.  Principal logistical support was provided for 
by the ISF.  Also, there was coordination between the PRL's 
shore police, with both UNPOL and the ISF's military police. 
The PRL had a liaison officer posted in the UNPOL National 
Operations Center during time in which sailors were at liberty. 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Embassy Dili initiated extensive coordination with 
the ISF, UNPOL, and F-FDTL as soon as PRL's visit plans were 
confirmed.  As Timor-Leste is a country which includes a 
non-U.S. led military joint task force, an active UN 
peacekeeping operation, and both national police and defense 
forces all operating within the same space, the challenges were 
unique.  However, the visit's execution occurred with few 
complications particularly because of the willingness of all 
agencies to both support and participate in PRL-related 
activities. 
 
 
 
DILI 00000395  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  While non-USNS Mercy ship visits to Timor-Leste were 
once fairly routine, there have been none in nearly three years. 
 The result has been the loss of a great deal of historical 
knowledge regarding the preparation for a U.S. naval visit to 
Dili.  Due to the challenges associated with the conduct of ship 
visits to Timor-Leste, including limited resource capabilities 
among local vendors, greater attention must be paid prior to a 
ship's arrival to coordination with the numerous non-U.S. 
entities operating here, including UN and ISF, international 
actors responsible for local security.  This will ensure that 
timelines proposed by Embassy Dili are as close to being 
realistic as possible, within the context of a visiting ship's 
operational tempo. 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Therefore, we recommend that future ship visits be 
preceded whenever possible by advance parties (ADVONs).  ADVONs 
could lay the basis for the conduct of COMREL activities, 
particularly as it relates to materials and manpower needed, and 
conduct local purchases as required; coordinate with UNPOL and 
the ISF within the context of Timor-Leste's peculiar security 
environment; and coordinate with UNPOL, the ISF, and F-FDTL on 
potential bilateral or multilateral training and logistical 
support opportunities.  All of these activities require less 
than 48 hours to conduct, so the duration of an ADVON to 
Timor-Leste would be relatively minimal. 
 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Comment.  While the challenges associated with ship 
visits to Timor-Leste may be somewhat higher than at other ports 
of call in the region, the opportunities are also great.  Ship 
visits here allow very positive interaction with the citizens 
and leaders of Timor-Leste, a vulnerable nation exceedingly 
friendly towards the U.S., and provides our forces the chance to 
engage operationally with United Nations forces, as well as 
those from our ally Australia in the ISF.  For the first time in 
too many years, the USS Port Royal proudly showed the American 
flag in Dili.  We are eager to welcome and support future visits 
of U.S. naval vessels and other U.S. forces to Timor-Leste. 
KLEMM