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)