Seven UK police to go to East Timor

Seven UK police to go to East Timor

JAKARTA: Great Britain will send a group of seven police
officers to East Timor next week as members of the international
civilian police advisory for the August ballot, the British
Embassy here said on Thursday.

The first contingent of the British team deployed in the
province under the auspices of the UN Assistance Mission to East
Timor (UNAMET) would consist a chief inspector, four sergeants
and two constables from different constabularies in the UK.

"Together with our US$1 million contribution to the UN Trust
Fund, this (the sending of the officers) demonstrates the UK's
clear commitment to the UN process," the embassy quoted British
Minister of State/Deputy Foreign Minister Geoffrey Hoon as saying
in London on Wednesday in a meeting with the seven officers.

During the meeting, Hoon said that the late British deputy
foreign minister, Derek Fatchett, had "promised that the UK would
play a key role in the East Timor ballot on Aug. 8."

"So it gives me great pleasure to announce today that the UK
is sending seven police officers to East Timor next week," he
said at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.

Fatchett, who died on May 9, had visited Indonesian four
times, including his last visit from April 26 to April 28 this
year.

Under the terms of the UN agreement signed by Indonesia and
Portugal last month, a team of international police will advise
the local police on security aspects and supervise the escort of
ballot boxes to and from the polling sites during the vote. (bsr)