Peacekeeping force not needed now: Indonesia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas ruled out
\non Friday the possibility of an international peacekeeping force
\nbeing deployed in East Timor until the status of the province had
\nbeen endorsed by the People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
He made the statement amid mounting demands to send an armed
\nUnited Nations force to the province given continued reports of
\nviolence and lawlessness there.<\/p>\n
In anticipation of more possible unrest, Minister of Defense
\nand Security\/Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Wiranto said two
\nbattalions of troops had been to East Timor. He said the ballot
\nresults would be announced on Saturday, ahead of the original
\nschedule of Sept. 7.<\/p>\n
After meeting President B.J. Habibie at Merdeka Palace, Alatas
\nsaid a United Nations peacekeeping force would be considered for
\nlater deployment if the Aug. 30 ballot showed East Timorese
\npreferred to separate from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
In line with the May 5 agreement between Indonesia, Portugal
\nand the UN in New York, Indonesian police would remain
\nresponsible for security in East Timor \"until the acceptance of
\nthe government accountability report or recommendations to the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly\", he said.<\/p>\n
The Assembly's General Session is slated for November.<\/p>\n
If the ballot results in East Timor's independence, an orderly
\ntransfer of authority from Indonesia to the United Nations would
\nbe arranged, according to the agreement.<\/p>\n
\"If then the UN feels a peacekeeping force is necessary, they
\nare welcome. But not before phase three,\" Alatas said, referring
\nto the period after the endorsement of East Timor's status by the
\nAssembly. UN civilian police and military liaison officers could
\nbe increased before then, but their mandate as advisers would not
\nchange, he said.<\/p>\n
The May 5 agreement states: \"During the interim period between
\nthe popular consultation and the start of the implementation of
\neither option, the parties request the Secretary-General to
\nmaintain an adequate UN presence in East Timor.\"<\/p>\n
Despite reports of a worsening situation after the ballot,
\nAlatas said Indonesia still intends to overcome the situation
\nitself because the country's reputation is at stake.<\/p>\n
A deployment of such a peacekeeping force is complicated, he
\nsaid, adding that the UN had not raised the issue.<\/p>\n
Antara reported from UN headquarters that Indonesia's
\npermanent representative to the UN, Makarim Wibisono, had told UN
\nSecurity Council president Peter van Walsum that security was
\nimproving in East Timor.<\/p>\n
An indication, he said, was that \"none of the international UN
\nstaffers has been killed in East Timor\".<\/p>\n
However, from Geneva, Reuters quoted on Friday a statement
\nfrom the UN's human rights chief, Mary Robinson, which raised
\nconcern for protection of \"a terrorized population.\"<\/p>\n
Her statement said, \"A substantial UN peacekeeping force might
\nbe needed to protect Timorese civilians and UN staff given the
\ninability of Indonesian security forces to control the
\nsituation.\"<\/p>\n
From Canberra, Antara quoted Defense Minister John Moore as
\nsaying that one month of preparations would be needed if
\nIndonesia and the UN requested Australia to contribute to a
\npeacekeeping force.<\/p>\n
In New York, the deputy to the United States ambassador to the
\nUN said on Thursday that a peacekeeping force \"was not a feasible
\nsuggestion\" at this time, Antara reported on Friday.<\/p>\n
The U.S. is a permanent member of the Security Council, with
\nveto right.<\/p>\n
However, a UNAMET staff member, among those vacating their
\npost in Maliana following the murder of local staff on Thursday,
\nsaid a UN peacekeeping force was necessary.<\/p>\n
Locals said they feared even more violence with the evacuation
\nof about 76 foreign and local journalists on Friday alone. But
\nmany journalists only flew to nearby Bali, and others said they
\nwould return with better preparations.<\/p>\n
From Canberra, Reuters reported that Australian Prime Minister
\nJohn Howard called Habibie on Friday to urge the deployment of a
\npeacekeeping force.<\/p>\n
\"We discussed the whole issue of peacekeeping,\" he said,
\nadding he had stressed the safety of Australian nationals in East
\nTimor. \"I am not happy with what has occurred ... there has been
\nlawlessness, there has been a blind eye turned to acts of
\nterrorism,\" Howard said, as quoted by AFP.<\/p>\n
From London, Reuters quoted British Foreign Secretary Robin
\nCook as saying on Friday that a British destroyer in the South
\nChina Seas had been put on standby in case it was required in
\nEast Timor.<\/p>\n
While the Indonesian forces were responsible for security in
\nEast Timor he added, \"I think it is important that the
\ninternational community is ready to do what we can if the present
\nviolence continues.\"<\/p>\n
From Sydney, the Associated Press reported on Friday that
\nproindependence East Timorese leader in exile Jose Ramos-Horta
\ncalled for international donors to freeze all aid to Indonesia,
\n\"to punish it for allegedly supporting anti-independence
\nmilitias\" until the militias were reigned in. He added UN peace-
\nkeepers should be deployed to save lives.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Asia director of Human Rights Watch Sydney Jones
\nalso urged for \"immediate suspension of all military training and
\nassistance programs to the Indonesian Army until there is some
\nevidence that it is making a serious effort to bring its proxy
\nmilitias under control\". (anr\/05\/prb)<\/p>",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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