DATE=9/7/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N - HOLBROOKE - TIMOR (L)
NUMBER=2-253569
BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: At the United Nations today (Tuesday),
officials are awaiting the report of a Security
Council fact-finding delegation before making any
decision about supporting intervention in East Timor.
Correspondent Barbara Schoetzau reports from New York.
TEXT: The delegation headed by five ambassadors is
charged with deciding if Indonesia is willing and able
to live up to its May 5th agreement with Portugal.
Under the terms of that agreement, Indonesia is
responsible for maintaining law and order in East
Timor.
On Monday, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said if
Indonesia did not restore order on East Timor within
48 hours, the international community "will have to
consider what other measures it can take to assist the
Indonesia government."
U-N spokesperson Fred Eckhard said Mr. Annan spoke
with Indonesia's President B-J Habibie and the two
discussed the possibility that marital law -- which
Indonesia has now imposed -- would fail to bring the
situation under control.
Mr. Eckhard says the United Nations has not made any
contingency plans for a military intervention in East
Timor. But he says the international community's
patience may be running out.
//// Eckhard Act ////
I do not want to comment on the positions of
governments, except to say that it is clear that
international frustration with Indonesia over
their failure to get control of these militias,
their failure to stop the killing and the
deportation of people, the destruction of
property, the attacks on the U-N staff - this is
clearly mounting.
//// End Act ////
Mr. Eckhard said the Secretary-General believes an
independent intervention force can act with greater
speed than any U-N peacekeeping effort.
Australia and New Zealand have already offered to send
troops to stop the bloodshed in East Timor.
The new U-S Ambassador to the United Nations, Richard
Holbrooke, cautioned against taking any action until
the fact-finding mission has reported back to the
Secretary-General.
//// Holbrooke Act ////
Clearly, we need to get briefed on the ground.
We need to make sure the plans are fleshed out.
We need to make sure that these offers that you
speak of are specifically concrete, precise and
confirmed and that when put together they might
constitute a viable option. I don't think we
have that information yet.
//// End Act ////
The fact-finding mission is expected to report its
assessment of the situation before the end of the
week. (Signed)
NEB/BJS/BA/TVM/PT
07-Sep-1999 16:52 PM LOC (07-Sep-1999 2052 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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