DATE=11/23/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=AUSTRALIA-E.TIMOR (L-O)
NUMBER=2-256465
BYLINE=ANNE BARKER
DATELINE=CANBERRA
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Australia is strengthening its military
commitment in East Timor, and increasing defense
spending by one-billion dollars a year for the next
three years. As Anne Barker reports from Canberra,
the Australian Government is also defending itself
against accusations it tried to cover up human rights
abuses in East Timor.
TEXT: Australia has four-and-one-half-thousand troops
in East Timor - making up about half the U-N force.
But with only four battalions, Australia would have
trouble maintaining a substantial presence in East
Timor in the long term.
Prime Minister John Howard told Parliament, the
government will spend three-billion dollars during
three years to take on an extra three-thousand
soldiers and 500 airforce recruits.
/// HOWARD ACT ///
In order to be sure that we can sustain our
commitment to East Timor the government has
accepted a recommendation from the defense
minister to increase the number of fully
operational infantry battalions from four to six
for a period of two-years.
/// END ACT ///
The extra funds will sustain about 15-hundred
Australian troops in East Timor in the long term.
They are part of the U-N peacekeeping force due to
take control early next year.
But although the United Nations will reimburse some of
the cost, Australia's share and its contribution to
East Timor's reconstruction, will put an enormous
strain on the national budget.
In order to protect its budget surplus, the government
will increase the annual Medicare health insurance
levy, for one-year, for taxpayers earning more than
50-thousand dollars a year.
/// HOWARD ACT ///
The levy will collect approximately 900-million
dollars in 2000-2001. That sum will
substantially cover the East Timor defense costs
arising in that year. After 2000-2001 the East
Timor defense costs can be absorbed by the
budget while maintaining strong surpluses.
/// END ACT ///
Meanwhile, the Australian Government is defending
itself against accusations it tried to cover up
evidence of the Indonesian army's involvement in
violence against the East Timorese.
Leaked intelligence documents in Canberra claim the
violence after East Timor's independence ballot in
August was orchestrated by the Indonesian military.
The documents blamed the military for the April
massacre of dozens of East Timorese in the town of
Liquica.
Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, says
the documents do not reveal anything that is not
already known. But he has indicated the government
will hand them over to the U-N human-rights inquiry
into atrocities in East Timor. (SIGNED)
NEB/AB/RAE
23-Nov-1999 08:11 AM EDT (23-Nov-1999 1311 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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