UN force commander offers apology over spy incident

UN force commander offers apology over spy incident

LAKTUTUS, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): United Nations
Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) Peacekeeping
Force (PKF) Commander Lt. Gen. Jaime de los Santos apologized
Monday to Indonesian Military (TNI) over a recent spying incident
involving an Australian member of the PKF.

"I apologize for the incident. Under the UN charter,
intelligence activities are not allowed," de los Santos said in a
media briefing.

He made the announcement shortly after a closed door meeting
with TNI chief Adm. Widodo AS at the border post here, some 40
kilometers south of the regency capital of Atambua.

He also said that there had been improvements in border
security.

"There have been no reports of border incidents in the past
two weeks," said de los Santos, adding that cooperation with TNI
was at its highest level.

Widodo meanwhile renewed his denial of accusations that TNI
provided training for the so-called militias.

"I have repeatedly stated that there is no such training and
Gen. De los Santos himself has met with the refugees and learned
from them that there is no militia training by TNI," said Widodo.

He also said there would be more talks on the placement of
Indonesian military observers in East Timor. UNTAET has placed
its military observers on the Indonesian side of the border but
so far there are no Indonesian military observers in East Timor.

"It is a technical issue and the Udayana chief will discuss
the matter with PKF," said Widodo, referring to the military
commander overseeing Bali and East Nusa Tenggara Maj. Gen. Kiki
Syahnakri.

TNI has proposed that PKF and TNI exchange liaison officers,
hold joint border patrols and maintain joint border posts to
improve border security and to alleviate suspicions of TNI
support for militia activities. The UN has turned down the
proposal, but agreed to send liaison officers to Kupang and
Atambua.

"We have problems on the border, not in Kupang or Atambua,"
Kiki argued.

Widodo repeated calls for TNI troops to maintain good
cooperation with PKF based on understanding and mutual trust.

He also reminded the troops of the political implications of
their actions.

The meeting in Laktutus was part of Widodo's itinerary in East
Nusa Tenggara to visit troops in the Boilalu and Laktutus border
posts. TNI has 40 posts along the 130-kilometer long border from
Motaain to Metamau, divided into two sectors. The northern
sector's 19 border posts are manned by the 432nd Kostrad
Battalion, and the southern sector's 21 posts by the 502nd
Kostrad Battalion.

The TNI chief arrived in Kupang on Sunday evening, accompanied
by Air Force Chief Marshal Hanafie Asnan, Navy Chief Achmad
Sutjipto, Deputy Army Chief Lt. Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and a
number of high-ranking TNI officers.

"This visit is aimed at boosting the morale of the troops and
to show that TNI is committed to providing border security,
helping return the East Timorese refugees and maintaining law and
order in refugee camps," he said.

Widodo challenged the troops to show to the world that all the
accusations against TNI were baseless.

"Despite all our efforts, we have been continually accused of
training the so-called militias or allowing them to use the
Indonesian side of the East-West Timor border as their base,"
said Widodo. "We must show to the world that there is no such
training of the so-called militias."

He also ordered the troops to continue efforts to speed the
return of East Timorese refugees, prevent illegal border
crossings, smuggling, illegal possession of weapons and maintain
law and order at refugee camps. (lem)