E. Timor seeks UN aid to fight terror

Sat, 16 Nov 2002 | Source: REUTERS

UNITED NATIONS: East Timor, citing last month's deadly Bali bombing, pledged full support on Thursday for fighting terrorism but said its fledgling security forces would need international help for the time being.

The tiny Southeast Asian nation, which gained independence just six months ago after nearly three years of UN administration, "is fully committed to the global fight against terrorism," its UN ambassador, Jose Luis Guterres, told the Security Council.

But since East Timor's police and military are just now being developed, international police and peacekeeping forces must remain in place until the country "has the capacity to meet this goal on its own," Guterres said.

Australia and other nations have cautioned travelers to steer clear of the region since the Oct. 12 bombing in Bali, a Southeast Asian neighbor. Nearly 200 people died in the attack, most of them foreign tourists. --Reuters

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