TIMOR-LESTE WELCOMES AUSTRALIA-UK-US NEW INITIATIVE

Dili, 08 March 2004
Senior Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Dr. Jose RAMOS-HORTA met Fri March 5th will all the members of the Dili diplomatic community to brief them on the views of the government of Timor-Leste in regard to the UN presence in Timor-Leste in the post-May 2004.

This meeting followed a separate meeting the Senior Minister had with the Ambassadors of Australia, the United Kingdom and the US, who presented a joint initiative on the future UN presence in Timor-Leste.

While the three countries jointly support all the recommendations made by the Secretary-General as contained in his Report to the Security Council, they also recommend that in addition there should be “a formed police unit” (armed emergency security respond unit comprising 125 police).

After consultations with the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister the Senior Minister informed the diplomatic corps in Dili s well as the United Nations that the East Timorese Government “welcomes the joint initiative by Australia-UK-US. The government sees merit in this addition to the very important report of the Secretary-General as it does provide extra deterrence value”.

“The only point the government of Timor-Leste wishes to emphasize is that it will retain executive authority over our own law and order agencies, namely, our National Police.”, Dr. Ramos-Horta said.

As it has been reported the Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council was discussed at a public meeting of the Council in NY on February 20th and addressed by the Senior Minister. More than 20 countries spoke in favor of the recommendations of the Secretary-General.

The Secretary-General recommended a smaller UN role in Timor-Leste after 20th may 2004 comprising civilian advisers, police advisers, unarmed military liaison officers, a full company-size military unit with air support.

In his meeting with the Ambassadors of Australia, UK and the US, Senior Minister Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta thanked the three countries for making the extra effort in creating a consensus in the Security Council.