DATE=9/14/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N - TIMOR RESOLUTION (S&L-UPDATES) (CQ)
NUMBER=2-253885
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 8:16 p.m.
/// Eds: re-filing CR 2-253880 to fix last para
text -Indonesia not Australia in first line;
Security Council is now recessed for consultations,
but meeting will resume in several hours ///
INTRO: Australia says it has been asked to lead a
multi-national security force in East Timor. The
announcement comes as the United Nations Security
Council prepares to formally authorize deployment of
the force. V-O-A's U-N correspondent, Max Ruston, has
the story.
TEXT: Preparations for sending a multi-national force
to East Timor are moving forward quickly. Security
Council members say they expect to formally authorize
a force early Wednesday. Australian Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer says U-N Secretary-General Kofi Annan
has asked his country to lead it.
/// FIRST DOWNER ACT ///
The Secretary-General has asked Australia to
lead a multi-national force. We have agreed to
do that.
/// END ACT ///
Diplomats say the force is expected to include
soldiers from about 15 nations and should be in place
before Monday.
The multi-national force would be asked to restore law
and order to East Timor, which has faced widespread
violence since residents voted for independence from
Indonesia late last month.
/// REST OPT FOR LONG ///
Indonesia has expressed some objections to giving
Australia a dominant role in the security force.
Indonesian officials say Australia has openly
supported independence for East Timor, and therefore
cannot take a neutral role.
The Australian Foreign Minister says he discussed
Indonesia's concerns Tuesday in talks with that
country's Foreign Minister Ali Alatas.
/// SECOND DOWNER ACT ///
The Indonesians came here, Mr. Alatas came here,
without conditionality, and he accepts that for
the force to be deployed very quickly it has to
have Australian leadership. If it does not have
Australian leadership it cannot be deployed
quickly. Australia has the logistics. It has
the geographic location and it has the readiness
that the force can be deployed very quickly and
for Indonesia that is the overriding priority
and that is the overriding priority for the
international community.
/// END ACT ///
Diplomats say Indonesia has put aside its reservations
about Australia following promises that the force will
genuinely be multi-national. They say countries
contributing to the force will likely include
Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, the United States,
Canada, France and Argentina. (Signed)
NEB/MPR/WTW
14-Sep-1999 20:19 PM EDT (15-Sep-1999 0019 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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