Release: Dr Jose Ramos Horta

22 February 2007, Al Jazeera English today interviewed the Prime Minister of East Timor, Dr. Jose Ramos Horta who reveals exclusively to Al Jazeera English for the first time that he will run for the Presidency.

Speaking to Al Jazeera English, Dr. Horta said:

“After a lot of hesitation, I have decided to run for the Presidency. I will announce it shortly. Many people have come to me, barefoot, illiterate from around the country, some without even my agreement began collecting signatures for me.”

“I have consulted with my President, Xanana Gusmao, consulted with the Bishops and I have decided to accept the burden.”

“But if the people in their centuries old wisdom decide to vote for someone else, there are plenty of candidates right now, it is positive, there are so many candidates, if the people in their centuries old wisdom decide to vote for any of them other than me I will probably be the only candidate in the world for any job who will celebrate my electoral demise.”

*****

About Al Jazeera English

Al Jazeera English is the world’s first English language news channel to be headquartered in the Middle East. Broadcasting from within the Middle East, looking outwards, Al Jazeera English will set the news agenda and act as a bridge between cultures.

With unique access as the channel of reference for Middle East events, and broadcast centres strategically placed around the world in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, London and Washington DC, Al Jazeera English will balance the information flow from South to North, providing accurate, impartial and objective news for a global audience from a grass roots level, giving voice to different perspectives from under-reported regions around the world.

Al Jazeera English is building on the ground-breaking heritage of its sister Arab-language channel – Al Jazeera, which was responsible for changing the face of news within the Middle East, now extending that fresh perspective from regional to global.