Dili welcomes extended UN mission<\/p>\n
EAST TIMOR: East Timorese officials welcomed on Thursday a
\nproposal by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to extend
\nthe UN support mission in the new nation for one more year.<\/p>\n
"The president welcomes and fully supports the recommendations
\nof the secretary-general," said Agio Periera, chief of staff to
\nPresident Xanana Gusmao.<\/p>\n
He said preparing for the UN's eventual departure was "a
\nchallenge for the Timorese nation as a whole. We will look ahead
\nwith the same positive attitude that we have shown in recent
\nyears."<\/p>\n
Annan presented his report on Wednesday to the UN Security
\nCouncil, which was expected to vote on it on Friday.<\/p>\n
He proposed a one-year extension for the UN Mission of Support
\nin East Timor (UNMISET) after its current mandate expires on May
\n20, but with a big cut in the current number of peacekeeping
\ntroops and support staff.<\/p>\n
The UN took over the running of the country in 1999 after the
\ndeparture of Indonesian troops and their local militia proxies,
\nwho left much of the former Indonesian province in ruins.<\/p>\n
East Timor became independent on May 20, 2002, but a UN
\nmission stayed on to help Asia's poorest nation through its early
\nyears. -- AFP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dili-welcomes-extended-un-mission-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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