• Military Menu                       

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

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=7/6/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251509
TITLE=U-N / EAST TIMOR SECURITY (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  U-N OFFICIALS SAY (TUESDAY) THEY PLAN TO FURTHER POSTPONE
THE AUGUST VOTE ON EAST TIMOR'S FUTURE IF SECURITY CONDITIONS 
THERE DO NOT IMPROVE SOON.  U-N OFFICIALS ARE NOW DISCUSSING THE 
SECURITY SITUATION WITH INDONESIA -- WHICH INVADED THE FORMER 
PORTUGUESE COLONY IN 1975 AND ANNEXED IT A YEAR LATER.  V-O-A'S 
U-N CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS.
TEXT:  THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL HELD AN UNSCHEDULED MEETING ON 
EAST TIMOR TO DISCUSS THE LATEST VIOLENCE IN THE TERRITORY -- AN 
ATTACK ON A U-N CONVOY NEAR EAST TIMOR'S CAPITAL, DILI.  U-N 
ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS, ALVARO DE 
SOTO, BRIEFED THE COUNCIL ON THE ATTACK.  LATER, HE TOLD 
REPORTERS THAT SECURITY CONDITIONS MUST IMPROVE IF THE VOTE ON 
EAST TIMOR'S FUTURE IS TO TAKE PLACE AS SCHEDULED IN LATE AUGUST.
                       /// DE SOTO ACT ///
         OBVIOUSLY IF SECURITY CONDITIONS ARE NOT IN PLACE IN THE
         NEXT FEW DAYS, IN EFFECT TOWARDS LATER THIS WEEK, WE 
         WOULD HAVE TO POSTPONE AT THE VERY LEAST.
                         /// END ACT ///
THE POLL, IN WHICH EAST TIMOR'S RESIDENTS WILL CHOOSE BETWEEN 
INDEPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY UNDER INDONESIAN RULE, HAS ALREADY BEEN
POSTPONED ONCE BECAUSE OF POOR SECURITY CONDITIONS.  IT IS 
CURRENTLY SET FOR LATE AUGUST.
U-N OFFICIALS BLAME PRO-JAKARTA MILITIAS IN THE TERRITORY FOR 
SEVERAL ATTACKS AGAINST U-N OFFICES AND STAFF MEMBERS DURING THE 
LAST FEW WEEKS.  THEY SAY IT APPEARS SOME OF THE ATTACKS HAVE 
TAKEN PLACE WITH THE APPROVAL OR ASSISTANCE OF INDONESIAN 
SECURITY FORCES IN EAST TIMOR.  THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT HAS 
PROMISED TO IMPROVE SECURITY CONDITIONS.  MR. DE SOTO SAYS HE 
FULLY ACCEPTS THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT'S PROMISE BUT BELIEVES 
THERE MAY BE SOME PROBLEM IMPLEMENTING CENTRAL GOVERNMENT POLICY 
ON THE GROUND IN EAST TIMOR.
THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL ALSO SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE VIOLENCE, 
ISSUING A STATEMENT CALLING ON INDONESIAN AUTHORITIES TO 
INVESTIGATE THE LATEST ATTACK AND BRING THOSE RESPONSIBLE TO 
JUSTICE.  THE STATEMENT STRESSES THAT THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT 
HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN PEACE AND SECURITY IN EAST 
TIMOR.
DIPLOMATS SAY IT IS TOO EARLY TO PREDICT IF THE EAST TIMOR VOTE 
WILL GO AHEAD AS SCHEDULED.  THE U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL'S SPECIAL 
REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE TERRITORY IS CURRENTLY IN JAKARTA FOR 
TALKS ON SECURITY WITH THE GOVERNMENT.  DIPLOMATS SAY THERE IS 
LITTLE DOUBT THE GOVERNMENT WILL AGREE TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY 
MEASURES.  BUT THEY SAY THAT MAY NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH ACTION, AS 
THERE APPEAR TO BE ELEMENTS OF THE INDONESIAN MILITARY THAT ARE 
DETERMINED TO DISRUPT PLANNING FOR THE POLL.
SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN IS EXPECTED TO DECIDE NEXT WEEK 
WHETHER TO FURTHER POSTPONE THE POLL.  (SIGNED)
NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/RRM
06-Jul-99 5:14 PM EDT (2114 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.