DATE=9/8/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=APEC / E. TIMOR UPDATE (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-253583
BYLINE=AMY BICKERS
DATELINE=AUCKLAND
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The situation in East Timor is dominating
preparations for the upcoming Asia-Pacific summit, in
New Zealand. Amy Bickers reports from Auckland,
foreign ministers from the APEC nations are preparing
to meet Thursday to discuss ways to end the violence.
TEXT: New Zealand's Prime Minister Jenny Shipley says
the international community may have to act soon to
stop the bloodshed in East Timor.
/// SHIPLEY ACT ///
It is a time for decisive action. The first important
issue is to insure the safety of the people who are
working for the U-N and it appears that that is
already in hand. The second is to restore order in
Timor by Indnesia taking the responsibility they have
to secure that. And the third option, which may become
urgent in the next 24 hours, is to mobilize
international consensus through the U-N so that some
action can be taken.
/// END ACT ///
Ms. Shipley told reporters Wednesday that the staff of
UNAMET - the United Nations mission in East Timor that
supervised last week's autonomy ballot - was
evacuating the territory because of safety fears. But
a spokesman for UNAMET said later that the U-N mission
is not pulling out.
As foreign ministers from the Asia Pacific region and
Britain prepared for Thursday's special meeting on
East Timor, they were presented with two surprises.
Indonesia said it was ruling out any early deployment
of foreign peacekeepers in East Timor, saying it would
not agree to the presence of international troops
until the territory's independence ballot has been
ratified by Indonesian legislators. It is likely that
would only come in November, at the earliest.
Indonesia's State Secretary also said from Jakarta
that President B-J Habibie would not be attending this
year's APEC summit. New Zealand Prime Minister Shipley
says that is understandable, given the problems in
East Timor. But other officials say they take the
decision to forgo the trip as an indication that
Jakarta resents other countries' involvement in the
crisis.
British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, in Auckland to
join in the special East Timor meeting with the APEC
foreign ministers, says the international community
should begin readying its "capability to provide
security" in East Timor. He says the Indonesian
government has lost control in the territory and
expects it to accept help from other countries.
But U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, in an
interview with C-N-N, said the United States is
counting on Indonesia to deal with the crisis, adding
Washington is looking very carefully at the situation
and considering the options.
NEB/AB/FC/PLM
08-Sep-1999 06:25 AM EDT (08-Sep-1999 1025 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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