• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=4/6/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247710
TITLE=U-N / TIMOR VIOLENCE (L - ONLY)
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN SAYS HE IS 
SERIOUSLY CONCERNED BY THE REPORTS OF ESCALATING VIOLENCE IN EAST
TIMOR.  BUT U-N OFFICIALS SAY THERE ARE NO PLANS AT THIS TIME FOR
SENDING A PEACEKEEPING FORCE TO THE TERRITORY, NOW CONTROLLED BY 
INDONESIA.  V-O-A'S UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON 
REPORTS.
TEXT:  U-N OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE SITUATION IN 
EAST TIMOR, FOLLOWING THE LATEST ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE BETWEEN 
ADVOCATES AND OPPONENTS OF INDEPENDENCE IN THE TERRITORY.  BUT 
THEY SAY THERE IS NO PLAN FOR SENDING A U-N PEACEKEEPING FORCE 
THERE AT THIS TIME
PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEADERS IN EAST TIMOR SAY A U-N PEACEKEEPING 
FORCE MAY BE THE ONLY WAY TO STOP VIOLENCE IN THE TERRITORY.  
PORTUGAL SAYS THE LATEST VIOLENCE UNDERLINES THE NEED FOR A U-N 
PRESENCE IN THE TERRITORY.  BUT DIPLOMATS SAY INDONESIA OPPOSES 
SUCH A FORCE AT THIS TIME, MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE 
UNITED NATIONS TO PURSUE THE ISSUE.  EAST TIMOR WAS A PORTUGUESE 
COLONY UNTIL IT WAS INVADED BY INDONESIA IN 1975 AND ANNEXED THE 
FOLLOWING YEAR.  U-N OFFICIALS HAVE NOT RULED OUT DISPATCHING A 
PEACEKEEPING FORCE AT SOME FUTURE TIME.
THE UNITED NATIONS HAS BEEN MEDIATING TALKS ON THE FUTURE STATUS 
OF EAST TIMOR.  U-N SPOKESMAN FRED ECKHARD SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL
KOFI ANNAN HOPES THE LATEST VIOLENCE WILL NOT UPSET PROGRESS MADE
IN THOSE TALKS.
                       /// ECKHARD ACT ///
         THE SECRETARY-GENERAL IS SERIOUSLY CONCERNED BY 
         CONTINUING REPORTS FROM EAST TIMOR OF AN ESCALATION OF 
         VIOLENCE.  A HIGH DEGREE OF POLITICAL MATURITY AND 
         STATESMANSHIP IS REQUIRED AT THIS TIME SO THAT THE 
         OPPORTUNITY NOW ON THE TABLE CAN BE SEIZED.
                         /// END ACT ///
THE U-N TALKS HAVE FOCUSSED ON ESTABLISHING TERMS THAT WOULD GIVE
EAST TIMOR WIDE-RANGING AUTONOMY, AS A POSSIBLE FIRST STEP 
TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE.  INDONESIA HAS SAID IT IS WILLING TO GIVE 
THE TERRITORY INDEPENDENCE, BUT DOES NOT SUPPORT A LONG 
TRANSITION PERIOD.
THERE ARE FEARS, AMONG U-N OFFICIALS AND EAST TIMOR'S NEIGHBORS, 
THAT FAILURE TO PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE TRANSITION PERIOD COULD LEAD 
TO WIDESPREAD VIOLENCE IN THE TERRITORY.  (SIGNED)
NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/PW/WFR
06-Apr-99 4:29 PM EDT (2029 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.