UN expected to extend E. Timor mandate

UN expected to extend E. Timor mandate

CANBERRA (AP): The United Nations was expected to again extend
the mandate of its administration in East Timor to well after
independence officials said on Friday, after major aid donors
endorsed the proposal.

The mandate of the United Nations Transitional Administration
in East Timor (UNTAET) ends Jan. 31, next year.

However, UNTAET head Sergio Vieira de Mello said on Friday
that the fledgling nation was still far from ready for
independence without UN support.

Speaking after the fourth Donor's Meeting on East Timor, De
Mello said the 29 governments, and 18 aid agencies attending the
conference supported a continuing presence.

East Timor's defense and police forces were not ready to stand
on their own and a range of civil services such as health were
still far from ready.

"I think we are all confident the mandate will be extended,"
de Mello said.

"There will be a presence, the question is what will be its
configuration and size, its strength, civilian, police, military,
that is what is at stake now," he said.

"Both in military and police terms the United Nations must
remain engaged, there is unfinished business, therefore I
presume, but I can only presume, the U.N. Security Council will
have no difficulty in authorizing the continued presence of those
two components," he said.

De Mello said it was impossible to outline a timetable for
winding down his administration.

However, preparations for democratic elections were on track
to elect a Constituent Assembly on Aug. 30. The Assembly will
write and adopt a constitution for an independent East Timor,
expected by the end of the year.

UNTAET commands around 8,000 peacekeepers, 150 military
observers, 1,450 UN civilian police and 777 East Timorese
officers.

Its civilian work force comprises 1,000 international staff,
2,000 nationals and 800 UN volunteers.

De Mello and World Bank Vice president for East Asia and the
Pacific, Jemal-ud-din Kassum who co-chaired the conference said
donors had endorsed the $65 million budget to run the new
government in fiscal year 2001-02, despite a $20 million deficit.

Total aid spending from the donors in 2001-02 would be about
$304 million - most of it to be spent rebuilding the state, which
was devastated by violence that broke out after the province's
August 1999 vote for independence from Indonesia.

Militias backed by Indonesian police and military forces were
responsible for the violence.