UN force commander offers apology over spy incident<\/p>\n
LAKTUTUS, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): United Nations
\nTransitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) Peacekeeping
\nForce (PKF) Commander Lt. Gen. Jaime de los Santos apologized
\nMonday to Indonesian Military (TNI) over a recent spying incident
\ninvolving an Australian member of the PKF.<\/p>\n
\"I apologize for the incident. Under the UN charter,
\nintelligence activities are not allowed,\" de los Santos said in a
\nmedia briefing.<\/p>\n
He made the announcement shortly after a closed door meeting
\nwith TNI chief Adm. Widodo AS at the border post here, some 40
\nkilometers south of the regency capital of Atambua.<\/p>\n
He also said that there had been improvements in border
\nsecurity.<\/p>\n
\"There have been no reports of border incidents in the past
\ntwo weeks,\" said de los Santos, adding that cooperation with TNI
\nwas at its highest level.<\/p>\n
Widodo meanwhile renewed his denial of accusations that TNI
\nprovided training for the so-called militias.<\/p>\n
\"I have repeatedly stated that there is no such training and
\nGen. De los Santos himself has met with the refugees and learned
\nfrom them that there is no militia training by TNI,\" said Widodo.<\/p>\n
He also said there would be more talks on the placement of
\nIndonesian military observers in East Timor. UNTAET has placed
\nits military observers on the Indonesian side of the border but
\nso far there are no Indonesian military observers in East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"It is a technical issue and the Udayana chief will discuss
\nthe matter with PKF,\" said Widodo, referring to the military
\ncommander overseeing Bali and East Nusa Tenggara Maj. Gen. Kiki
\nSyahnakri.<\/p>\n
TNI has proposed that PKF and TNI exchange liaison officers,
\nhold joint border patrols and maintain joint border posts to
\nimprove border security and to alleviate suspicions of TNI
\nsupport for militia activities. The UN has turned down the
\nproposal, but agreed to send liaison officers to Kupang and
\nAtambua.<\/p>\n
\"We have problems on the border, not in Kupang or Atambua,\"
\nKiki argued.<\/p>\n
Widodo repeated calls for TNI troops to maintain good
\ncooperation with PKF based on understanding and mutual trust.<\/p>\n
He also reminded the troops of the political implications of
\ntheir actions.<\/p>\n
The meeting in Laktutus was part of Widodo's itinerary in East
\nNusa Tenggara to visit troops in the Boilalu and Laktutus border
\nposts. TNI has 40 posts along the 130-kilometer long border from
\nMotaain to Metamau, divided into two sectors. The northern
\nsector's 19 border posts are manned by the 432nd Kostrad
\nBattalion, and the southern sector's 21 posts by the 502nd
\nKostrad Battalion.<\/p>\n
The TNI chief arrived in Kupang on Sunday evening, accompanied
\nby Air Force Chief Marshal Hanafie Asnan, Navy Chief Achmad
\nSutjipto, Deputy Army Chief Lt. Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and a
\nnumber of high-ranking TNI officers.<\/p>\n
\"This visit is aimed at boosting the morale of the troops and
\nto show that TNI is committed to providing border security,
\nhelping return the East Timorese refugees and maintaining law and
\norder in refugee camps,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Widodo challenged the troops to show to the world that all the
\naccusations against TNI were baseless.<\/p>\n
\"Despite all our efforts, we have been continually accused of
\ntraining the so-called militias or allowing them to use the
\nIndonesian side of the East-West Timor border as their base,\"
\nsaid Widodo. \"We must show to the world that there is no such
\ntraining of the so-called militias.\"<\/p>\n
He also ordered the troops to continue efforts to speed the
\nreturn of East Timorese refugees, prevent illegal border
\ncrossings, smuggling, illegal possession of weapons and maintain
\nlaw and order at refugee camps. (lem)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/un-force-commander-offers-apology-over-spy-incident-1447893297",
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