E. Timor urges UN to keep peacekeepers

E. Timor urges UN to keep peacekeepers

INDONESIA: East Timor urged the United Nations on Wednesday not
to be hasty in withdrawing its peacekeeping forces from the
fledgling nation, after the world body said it was considering
further cutbacks to the mission.

Nelson Santos, the secretary-general of East Timor's foreign
ministry, said the security situation along the country's border
with former ruler Indonesia had improved but remained fragile.

"UN peacekeeping is a very good deterrent for any further
internal or external instability ... If the remaining troops can
remain here until next year, then we will be able to further
consolidate our security forces," Santos told Reuters by
telephone from Dili.

"For the past six months or more nothing crucial has been
happening on the border area, but it needs only a small group to
destabilize the whole situation. Therefore it is better for us to
exercise caution rather than over-optimism," he said. --Reuters