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.