UN appeals for more aid to support fledgling E. Timor<\/p>\n
CANBERRA (Agencies): The United Nations appealed on Friday for
\ngreater generosity from international donors to support East
\nTimor and warned against political violence as the fledgling
\nstate prepares for its first parliamentary elections.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the opening of the fourth Donor's Meeting on East
\nTimor, the state's UN administrator, Sergio Vieira de Mello, said
\nhe expected a US$20 million deficit in this year's budget.<\/p>\n
De Mello said the United Nations Transitional Administration
\nin East Timor (UNTAET) had prepared a US$65 million budget for
\nfiscal year 2001-02, which was "neither lavish nor imprudent."<\/p>\n
"Support to bridge this deficit is what we are asking of the
\ndonor community for 2001-02. Budget support is not unusual in the
\nearly days of independence. East Timor should be no exception,"
\nhe told the 27 governments, and 18 aid agencies attending the
\nconference in Australia's capital.<\/p>\n
Total spending from all aid sources in rebuilding the country,
\nincluding the budget, is estimated at US$304.7 million in 2001-
\n02.<\/p>\n
The aid donors renewed their pledges on Thursday to help
\nrebuild devastated East Timor following calls for longer-term
\nsupport after the territory gains independence next year.<\/p>\n
But a two-day meeting of donors in Canberra discussed the need
\nto move away from emergency assistance and plan a strategy to
\nhelp East Timor achieve economic sustainability.<\/p>\n
"We need to think about a paradigm shift in our assistance to
\naddress issues that clearly go beyond emergency reconstruction,"
\nWorld Bank East Asia and Pacific Regon vice president Jumal-ud-
\ndin Kassum told the meeting.<\/p>\n
The World Bank is administering a three-year $170 million
\ntrust fund for East Timor which is being used to help rebuild
\nhospitals, schools and other infrastructure.<\/p>\n
The former Portuguese colony, which suffered 23 years of
\nJakarta rule before its UN-run referendum, is one of the world's
\npoorest territories with widespread unemployment, a dearth of
\nskilled personnel and an army of homeless.<\/p>\n
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Canberra
\nwould provide budget support in the early years of independence
\nand appealed for other donors to do the same. "There will have to
\nbe budgetary support for East Timor," he told reporters.<\/p>\n
However, Downer said he wanted to quickly wind back support
\nclaiming it could be counterproductive. He said that by 2004, oil
\ndevelopments in the Timor Sea would be delivering considerable
\nrevenue to the East Timorese.<\/p>\n
"We need to be generous to East Timor ... we do that not just
\nfrom the goodness of our hearts but because Australia has a
\nvested interest in a successful new emerging country in our
\nvicinity," he said.<\/p>\n
Australia and East Timor are locked in talks over splitting
\npetroleum revenues from a disputed oil and gas area of the Timor
\nSea with a deal expected to be signed within weeks.<\/p>\n
De Mello said East Timor was prepared for the Aug. 30
\nConstituent Assembly elections, but a new civil administration
\nwould not be ready by the time the UN mandate ended next year.<\/p>\n
"The reality today is that we do not yet have an effective
\nEast Timorese administration and we will not have one on Jan. 31,
\n2002 or whenever East Timor fully becomes independent," he said.<\/p>\n
De Mello also warned his administration, which is supported by
\na UN peacekeeping force, would not tolerate political violence
\nduring the coming elections.<\/p>\n
"There is still a very real fear among much of the population
\nthat the political process may lead to unrest and violence. I
\nwill not tolerate politically motivated violence in the
\nterritory," he said.<\/p>",
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