Portugal's aid for E. Timor

Portugal's aid for E. Timor

LISBON (Reuters): Portugal pledged on Thursday US$225 million of aid over three years to help its ravaged former colony East Timor make the transition to statehood.

Foreign Minister Jaime Gama made the announcement in Dili, capital of the territory formerly occupied by Indonesia, during a brief visit to East Timor.

"The amount will be around $75 million a year during three years," he told a news conference according to Portuguese radio and television reports.

Gama, the first Portuguese minister to visit East Timor since Portugal's hurried withdrawal 24 years ago, stayed just four hours in the territory which voted on Aug. 30 for independence from Indonesia.

Portugal has also promised around 1,000 troops and police to join an international peacekeeping force being assembled to give armed support to a United Nations administration that will govern the territory for the next two or three years.

The territory plunged into bloody mayhem after the August vote with pro-Jakarta militias taking violent revenge for the outcome of the independence ballot.