Aid to East Timor at critical stage: Patten<\/p>\n
BRUSSELS (AFP): Aid to East Timor to establish \"the basis for
\na stable and democratic country\" is at a \"critical stage,\" EU
\ncommissioner for external relations Chris Patten told an East
\nTimor donors conference here Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"The rebuilding of East Timor is a test of how to build a new
\nnation through democratic choices,\" he said. \"In about a year
\nfrom now, an independent East Timor should become the 190th
\nmember of the United Nations.<\/p>\n
\"We are at a critical stage in helping the East Timorese
\npeople to establish the basis for a stable and democratic
\ncountry,\" said Patten. \"The Brussels donors conference represents
\na unique opportunity to address their aspirations and help them
\nto prepare for the future of the youngest nation of the 21st
\ncentury.\"<\/p>\n
East Timor's first transitional government, which stepped into
\noffice last July, marks a major step towards better cohesion in
\npolicy-making in the territory, UN administrator Sergio de Mello
\nsaid at the time.<\/p>\n
\"Above and beyond the political significance, the major factor
\nin the formation of this government is cohesion,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Up until now we faced many problems because it was hard to
\nsay who was coordinating policy in different sectors of
\nactivity.\"<\/p>\n
The new government's official brief is to replace the UN
\ntransitional authority in a bid to speed up the \"Timorisation\" of
\nthe territory as a precursor to independence.<\/p>\n
Last month Vieira de Mello announced elections, as a
\nforerunner to the territory's full independence, should take
\nplace between August 30 and December 2000.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian parliament last month ratified East Timor's
\nAugust 30 independence vote, formally surrendering its claim to
\nthe former Portuguese colony which it invaded in 1975 and
\nformally annexed the following year.<\/p>\n
Patten said the donor conference here would allow for \"a
\nclearer vision of the process of transition to independence and a
\nbetter understanding of the unanswered questions.\"<\/p>\n
\"We must reassure the people of East Timor that they can still
\ncount on us.\"<\/p>\n
He said \"major progress\" had already been made in rebuilding
\nthe war-torn country.<\/p>\n
In December 1999 in Tokyo, a first donors conference drew
\npledges of some US$523 million for a humanitarian aid and
\nreconstruction program.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aid-to-east-timor-at-critical-stage-patten-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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