Francisco Miranda Branco, Fretilin’s Deputy Chairman, said a presentation to the Council of Ministers of proposed amendments had been scheduled for 8 July, but that no political party had received any information about the law changes.

Speaking in National Parliament on Tuesday, Branco said: “It’s very close, but we have not received any documents from the government.”

Branco said Fretilin supported ratification, but that it was important party members understood the implications of any law changes.

Antonio Kalohan, Chairperson of the Democratic Party, said he had spoken to Xanana Gusmão, Timor-Leste’s Chief Oil and Gas Negotiator, who had confirmed that 12 regulations needed to be appreciated to push ratification signing.

Major changes to bills include the Oil Fund Law, the Oil Activities Law, the Tax Law and the and Timor Gap Law.

Kalohan said the Democratic Party would support necessary law amendments

and urged all parliamentarians to do the same in the interest of “sovereignty of the state of Timor-Leste.”

The ratification of Maritime border treaty between Timor-Leste and Australia would regulate how the two countries will share revenue from the offshore Greater Sunrise natural gas field.

Timor-Leste Foreign Minister, Dionisio Babo Soares said on June 25 that the ratification could take place on August 30, the twentieth anniversary of a referendum that gave Timor-Leste independence.