UNITED NATIONS: East Timor Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta pleads for UN mission extension of peacekeeping mission

Record ID: 722517

  • Title: UNITED NATIONS: East Timor Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta pleads for UN mission extension of peacekeeping mission
  • Date: 13th February 2007
  • Summary: (AMERICA) DILI, EAST TIMOR (APRIL 28, 2006) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS SHOUTING BEHIND RIOT POLICE PROTESTERS STORMING AT PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE PROTESTERS VANDALISING PARKED GOVERNMENT CAR MORE OF PROTESTERS THROWING ROCKS THROUGH WINDOWS VARIOUS OF CARS SET ON FIRE CARS BURNING PROTESTERS RUNNING AWAY AFTER POLICE FIRED TEAR GAS AND WARNING POLICE AND SOLDIERS ON BACK OF TRUCK PASSING BY AFTER CLASHES
  • Embargoed: 28th February 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: War / Fighting,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVACTSKESUHX9WJF8A1U9T6MCHSN
  • Story Text: East Timorese Prime Minister and Nobel Peace prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta have appeared before the United Nations Security Council to ask the international community to back its mission to the developing country. East Timor's prime minister pleaded on Monday (February 12) for the U.N. Security Council to "stay the course" and extend for 12 months a peacekeeping mission in the Asia-Pacific region's newest country.
    The Security Council is due to vote on February 22 on the future of the East Timor U.N. mission of at least 1,068 police and up to 35 military liaison officers. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended it be extended for a year.
    East Timorese Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta said the usual six-month extension meant those working in East Timor would search for other jobs after three months in case a renewal was not forthcoming. The mission was approved by the council on August 25 for six months.
    The territory voted in a bloody 1999 referendum for independence from Indonesia, which annexed its neighbour after Portugal ended colonial rule in 1975. After a period of U.N. administration East Timor became fully independent in 2002.
    Indonesia's U.N. ambassador, Rezlan Jenie, told the council the United Nations and international community should continue to play a "constructive and nurturing role" in assisting East Timor with its nation-building and reconciliation.
    Australia, which headed a U.N.-backed intervention force to East Timor in 1999, led a 3,200-strong peacekeeping force back to Dili to combat last year's violence. Canberra still has 800 troops in East Timor, along with 120 New Zealand soldiers.
    Australia agreed in January to provide troops to protect the U.N. mission and rapid response capacity for U.N. police.
    Portugal too said it was committed to ensuring the development of the young country with by helping bolster security personnel on the ground.
    While most council members reacted favourably, diplomats said negotiations on the length of the mandate were still underway. China, for one, objected to a year, arguing that the council would have less oversight, the envoys said.
    But an east-west divide in the resource-rich nation of 1 million people erupted into chaos and gang-related violence in May after 600 mutinous soldiers were sacked. Poverty and high youth unemployment also plague the country, where more than 100,000 people are displaced.
    Ramos-Horta also asked for additional police to be sent to his nation for a presidential poll on April 9 and parliamentary elections due to be held by June. Portugal said it was ready to send more police to meet East Timor's request.
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