Timor terror campaign may end soon: Surayud

Timor terror campaign may end soon: Surayud

BANGKOK (AP): A terror campaign by pro-Indonesian militias in East Timor could end soon because of U.S. pressure and the creation of a new Thai rapid-reaction force, the Thai army chief said Friday.

The 250 troops in the new force will be taken from the 1,300- member Thai contingent of the UN peacekeeping force in East Timor, Gen. Surayud Chulanont told The Associated Press in an interview at the Army Headquarters.

The "reserve company" will "augment the forces deployed along the border" so that they can move quickly to counter the guerrillas, he said.

The 8,500-strong UN peacekeeping force in East Timor is under the command of a Thai veteran, Gen. Boonsrang Niumpradit. The other troops in the force are from Australia and New Zealand.

Gen. Surayud denied reports that New Zealand troops would pull out of East Timor unless Thai troops replaced them at the front line.

"I don't think there will be any pullout," he said. "The current NZ battalion is due for rotation soon and this is when we plan to introduce the Thai "reserve company," said Gen. Surayud, who returned Thursday after a three-day visit of East Timor.

Indonesia has been under intense international pressure to disarm and disband pro-Jakarta militias after they killed three UN foreign aid workers in the West Timor border town of Atambua on Sept. 6.

The militias are also terrorizing East Timorese living in refugee camps in West Timor, the Indonesian-controlled region bordering East Timor. Tens of thousands of East Timorese had fled there after the militias unleashed waves of violence when East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia in a UN-sponsored ballot last year.

Gen. Surayud quoted Gen. Boonsrang as telling him that the there has been an improvement in the UN peacekeepers' dealings with the militias and the Indonesian armed forces.

"The overall situation has definitely improved for the better since the U.S. recently exerted more pressure," Gen Surayud said.

"They are trying to cooperate. The Indonesian army has been very cooperative lately with UN force" since the visit of U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen to Indonesia, Gen Surayud said.

He said Gen. Boonsrang is predicting that the inhospitable conditions created by the upcoming monsoon season and the creation of the Thai reserve force would further curtail the activities of the pro-Jakarta militias.

In a related issue, Gen. Surayud said he supported the U.S. call for the creation of "security communities" in the Asia- Pacific to better prepare countries in the region for UN missions like East Timor.

In Dili, East Timor took on Friday a step closer to democracy and full independence when its UN administrator appointed a council to act as a dress rehearsal for eventual elected government.

The East Timor National Council consists of 36 members, including 13 women, representing districts, community and religious groups as well as political parties.

It will be responsible for drafting and passing legislation, said UN administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello.

However, he would maintain ultimate control of the half-island territory until elections for a legislature are held and independence established late next year.

"This is part of the process to prepare for the elections. Next week we will be organizing an induction course for all the members of the national council in order to train them. So in many ways it is a rehearsal for government," said Vieira de Mello.

Each member of the council will be paid $200 dollars a month. The first meeting will be Monday when they will elect a president.

The man most likely to be the first head of state of East Timor, independence leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao, is a council member. However, on Friday he would not say if he would stand for its presidency. "We are learning democracy. Someone will be elected," Gusmao said.