Interfet ready to take command of East Timor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (Agencies): The International Force for East Timor
\n(Interfet) readied on Saturday to assume full military command of
\nEast Timor as the Indonesian Military pressed ahead with its
\nwithdrawal.<\/p>\n
The Australian-led Interfet is due to formally take charge of
\nthe territory by Monday.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian command has said the remaining 4,500 Indonesian
\nsoldiers would pull out during next month, following the
\ndeparture by Friday of 7,000 troops.<\/p>\n
Heavily armed Australian soldiers, meanwhile, combed the East
\nTimor capital of Dili for militiamen, while helicopters overhead
\ncovered the ground operations.<\/p>\n
Increasing numbers of refugees were returning to the town,
\nwhich they fled three weeks ago after the territory was wracked
\nwith violence following the Aug. 30 ballot in which a majority
\nrejected Indonesia's offer of autonomy.<\/p>\n
More United States troops may join the multinational
\npeacekeeping force, which has still to assert its authority much
\nbeyond Dili.<\/p>\n
Washington has so far committed 230 troops to Interfet.<\/p>\n
The current strength of the multinational force is estimated
\nat 3,000 soldiers and will eventually rise to about 7,500.<\/p>\n
The commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, Adm. Dennis
\nBlair, indicated additional commitments would be made when
\ndefense secretary William Cohen visits Australia next week.<\/p>\n
However, he would not estimate how many more might be sent.<\/p>\n
The Clinton administration has not specified how many troops
\nit might contribute to the UN mission, but officials have
\nindicated it would be no more than several hundred. The
\nadministration has said it would limit U.S. participation to
\nsupport rather than combat.<\/p>\n
Blair, in remarks to reporters at the Pentagon, said he was
\npleased with Australia's execution so far of the peacekeeping
\neffort in East Timor. He predicted that peace would be restored
\n\"within weeks\" in the region and said the Indonesian military had
\n\"by and large been cooperating\".<\/p>\n
Cohen was also to visit Jakarta next week for talks with
\nPresident B.J. Habibie and military commander Gen. Wiranto.<\/p>\n
Lower-level officials from Cohen's travel party are expected
\nto make a quick visit to Dili while he is in the region.<\/p>\n
In Manila, the Philippines sent a second batch of soldiers on
\nSaturday to join the multinational peacekeeping force in East
\nTimor.<\/p>\n
The 113-member contingent, more than half comprising army
\nengineers, doctors and dentists, will join the first group of 127
\nwho left Manila a week earlier.<\/p>\n
Separately, East Timorese resistance leader Jose Alexandre
\n\"Xanana\" Gusmao, who fled to Darwin from Jakarta last week, left
\nfor New York on Saturday to meet with World Bank officials.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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