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DATE=5/4/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248961
TITLE=U-N / TIMOR OVERNIGHTER (L - ONLY)
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  INDONESIA AND PORTUGAL ARE SCHEDULED TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT
ON EAST TIMOR TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) THAT WILL ALLOW THE 
TERRITORY'S 800 THOUSAND RESIDENTS TO VOTE ON THEIR FUTURE.  
V-O-A'S UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS.
TEXT:  THE AGREEMENT ESTABLISHES THE TERMS FOR A U-N-ORGANIZED 
VOTE IN EAST TIMOR, SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST EIGHTH, ON THE ISSUE OF 
AUTONOMY.  IF VOTERS APPROVE THE AUTONOMY PROPOSAL, EAST TIMOR 
WILL BE CONSIDERED A PART OF INDONESIA, WITH WIDE-RANGING 
AUTONOMY.  IF THE PROPOSAL IS REJECTED, PREPARATIONS ARE EXPECTED
TO BEGIN TO GIVE EAST TIMOR INDEPENDENCE.
EAST TIMOR WAS A PORTUGUESE TERRITORY UNTIL 1975 WHEN IT WAS 
INVADED BY INDONESIA.  IT HAS EXPERIENCED REGULAR CLASHES BETWEEN
SEPARATISTS AND THE INDONESIAN MILITARY SINCE THAT TIME.  
INDONESIA REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF INDEPENDENCE UNTIL 
JANUARY THIS YEAR, WHEN IT SAID IT WOULD ALLOW SUCH A MOVE, IF 
SUPPORTED BY PUBLIC OPINION IN THE TERRITORY.
UNDER THE U-N-BROKERED AGREEMENT, TO BE SIGNED WEDNESDAY BY THE 
FOREIGN MINISTERS OF INDONESIA AND PORTUGAL, ABOUT 600 U-N 
CIVILIAN PERSONNEL WILL BE SENT TO THE TERRITORY TO HELP PREPARE 
FOR THE AUGUST AUTONOMY POLL.  INDONESIA HAS REJECTED SUGGESTIONS
THAT A U-N PEACEKEEPING FORCE BE DEPLOYED IN THE TERRITORY.  BUT 
IT HAS AGREED TO WORK WITH U-N CIVILIAN POLICE ADVISORS.  
DIPLOMATS SAY UP TO 250 POLICE ADVISORS COULD BE SENT TO THE 
TERRITORY.
SEPARATIST GROUPS ARE HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS OF THE EXISTING SECURITY 
PERSONNEL IN EAST TIMOR, AND CLAIM THEY HAVE ENCOURAGED VIOLENCE 
BY PRO-INDONESIA MILITIAS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.  U-N 
OFFICIALS SAY PRO-INDONESIA MILITIAS, OPPOSED TO INDEPENDENCE, 
POSE THE GREATEST THREAT TO SECURITY CONDITIONS DURING THE RUN-UP
TO THE AUGUST POLL.
ONE OF EAST TIMOR'S PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEADERS, JOSE RAMOS-HORTA, 
SAYS HE EXPECTS VIOLENCE TO CONTINUE UNLESS PRO-JAKARTA MILITIAS 
ARE DISARMED AND THE INDONESIAN ARMY PRESENCE IN THE TERRITORY IS
REDUCED TO ONE-THOUSAND SOLDIERS.  (SIGNED)
NEB/UN/MPR/JO
04-May-99 5:19 PM EDT (2119 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.