United Nations
23/01/2006
Security Council
SC/8615
---
Department of Public Information o News and Media Division o New York
NOTE: FOLLOWING ARE SUMMARIES OF STATEMENTS MADE THIS MORNING TO THE
SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON TIMOR-LESTE. A COMPLETE SUMMARY OF
TODAY'S COUNCIL MEETING WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER THE MEETING'S
CONCLUSION AS PRESS RELEASE SC/8615.
Background
When the Security Council met this morning to consider the situation
in Timor-Leste, it had before it the report of the Secretary-General
pursuant to resolution 1599 (2005), in which the Council decided to
establish, as of 21 May 2005, the United Nations Office in Timor-Leste
(UNOTIL) for one year. The report covers major developments since 18
August 2005, and it outlines the ongoing plans for the transition from
UNOTIL to a sustainable development framework.
Despite the remarkable achievements made since 1999, the country
remains fragile, the report states. Crucial State institutions,
particularly the justice sector, remain weak, in large part owing to a
lack of qualified human resources. According to some assessments, it
may take several years for the National Parliament to be able to
function without international support. Time will also be required
for democratic governance and human rights to take root. The
Secretary-General, therefore, strongly believes that, while the
country's future rests with the Timorese people and their Government,
the international community should remain engaged in the country
beyond 20 May, when the UNOTIL mandate expires. In this regard, the
appointment of a new United Nations Resident Coordinator to assume his
duties in February should facilitate a gradual handover of
responsibilities for the coordination of international assistance.
During the reporting period, the Government and people of Timor-Leste
supported by UNOTIL and other international partners, made further
progress towards establishing effective democratic governance in the
country, the report finds. The successful conclusion of local
elections, the strengthening of the legal framework through the
adoption of key legislation and the improved observance of human
rights by the police are good examples of such progress.
Notwithstanding some border incidents, the situation remained
generally calm and stable, the report goes on to say. Relations with
neighbouring countries continued to improve. Good progress was
achieved in negotiations with Indonesia on the delineation of the four
per cent of the land border that remains unresolved. The
Secretary-General welcomes this progress, and at the same time,
encourages the authorities in Dili and Jakarta to make further efforts
to reach final agreement on their land border without further delay.
The conclusion of the agreement on sharing of revenues from
exploitation of natural resources in the Timor Sea was a positive
reflection of Timor-Leste's relations with Australia.
Meanwhile, the report says that UNOTIL continued to support the
country through the three Security Council-mandated programmes. At
the same time, the Mission has focused increasingly on identifying
development partners to take over functions that will need to continue
beyond 20 May, in order to ensure a smooth and rapid transition to a
sustainable development framework. The pace of this process has been
encouraging, although much remains to be done. The Development
Partners' Conference scheduled for April will be an important
opportunity for the international community to demonstrate its
commitment to Timor-Leste. The Secretary-General welcomes the
commitments made thus far and hopes that they will soon be translated
into concrete action, with timely and generous funding.
Also according to the report, a major challenge facing Timor-Leste in
the near future will be the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary
elections in 2007. Both elections will be held for the first time
since the country assumed independence in 2002. The prevailing
opinion among Timorese stakeholders suggests that, in order to ensure
that these elections are successful, some international political
presence should remain in the country until the end of the electoral
process. The Secretary-General would welcome the Council's
suggestions regarding appropriate ways and means of assisting
Timor-Leste to face this challenge, which could have a significant
impact on the country's long-term peace and stability.
Briefing by Special Representative
SUKEHIRO HASEGAWA, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and
Head of the United Nations Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL), said that
the last five months had turned out to be a productive period for
UNOTIL in implementing the three Security Council-mandated programmes
and preparing for the transfer of capacity-building support functions
to United Nations agencies and other development partners. The first
component of the UNOTIL mandate was the support for critical State
institutions. Since 2002, international advisers provided by the
United Nations and bilateral development partners had achieved a great
deal of progress in building the Timorese capacity to administer their
public institutions. As a result, the number of international
advisers provided by the United Nations system had declined from
nearly 300 three years ago to about 100 by the end of last year.
He noted that UNOTIL civilian advisers had accelerated their efforts
to transfer skills and knowledge, and their Timorese counterparts were
now demonstrating increased ability and willingness to carry out their
duties. Yet, national capacities in highly technical areas such as
justice and finance remained "extremely weak". It had become evident
that international advisory support, especially in those two areas,
was required for some years to come.
In the justice sector, eight international judges continued to provide
training and perform line functions in court, including the handling
of serious crime cases, he said. The presence of international judges
greatly contributed to the efficient disposition of the cases and
reduced the time to complete trials to five months. Nonetheless, it
would take a few more years for the national judges to become
self-sufficient, as they were still undergoing basic judicial
training. President Gusmão had recently expressed his concerns about
the capacity of public prosecution to adequately deal with as many as
3,000 pending civil and criminal cases. The situation needed urgent
attention, as all national prosecutors commenced specialized training
in January and would not be able to attend to their responsibilities.
Additional international prosecutors were, therefore, required. The
recent inauguration of the Law Faculty of the National University of
Timor Lorosa'e would provide a long-term sustainable solution to the
lack of adequate national legal expertise.
In the finance sector, he said that a great deal of progress had been
made in building national expertise. As a result, the number of
United Nations funding advisers had been reduced drastically from
nearly 70 advisers three and one-half years ago to less than 10, along
with several bilateral advisers by the end of last year. Currently,
six UNOTIL civilian advisers had been supporting the Ministry of
Planning and Finance. The World Bank had shown its readiness to
implement a technical assistance programme, although the Government
was requesting the United Nations to continue providing advisers to
maintain critically important financial functions. As the
Secretary-General's report indicated, out of
45 adviser positions, several posts would be taken over by national
institutions by 20 May. The remaining functions would be looked after
by appropriate United Nations agencies, financial institutions and
other development partners.
Concerning the second UNOTIL mandate, namely to support democratic
governance and human rights, he said that human rights officers had
been assigned to Government ministries and State institutions, with
the aim of strengthening their capacity to protect and promote human
rights. The Office of the "Provedor" had made great progress in
drafting a strategic plan and establishing a complaint handling system
in preparation for the opening of the Office to the public in March.
Beyond May, human rights activities would need continued international
attention. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was
fully committed to providing necessary assistance and sending a needs
assessment mission next month for the purpose of clearly identifying
post-UNOTIL requirements.
He said that, under the leadership of Foreign Minister Jose
Ramos-Horta, Timor-Leste had demonstrated a remarkable commitment to
establish a normative international human rights framework through the
early ratification of the full range of core human rights treaties in
2003 and 2004. Timor-Leste was about to complete its draft initial
human rights report under the Convention on the Rights of the Child
and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women, with United Nations support. The Commission for
Reception, Truth and Reconciliation had finally completed its report,
and the President had handed it to the Secretary-General last Friday.
The Commission had covered a wide range of issues and made specific
recommendations requiring careful consideration.
Turning to the third component of UNOTIL's mandate, he said that,
regarding the further development of the national police and the
Border Patrol Unit, 60 police and 15 military training advisers had
been provided. The UNOTIL police training advisers and their Timorese
counterparts had conducted a joint capacity assessment for each unit
and formulated a strategic plan for their further development. The
military training advisers had now completed the initial phase of the
transfer of border management skills and entered into the validation
phase so as to ensure that the Border Patrol Unit had the capacity to
interact with the Indonesian Army counterparts as equal and
professional partners. The need to accelerate the implementation of
those training programmes, however, became evident on 6 January when
three people were shot dead at the border by the Timorese police. He
commended the decision made immediately by the two countries to
undertake a joint investigation. The incident had also prompted
UNOTIL to refocus its attention to enhance the Border Patrol Unit's
professionalism.
Meanwhile, Timor-Leste's relations with Indonesia continued to
improve, he noted. He commended the two countries for the significant
progress made in the last few weeks towards resolving, at the
technical level, the demarcation of the common border, with the
exception of the remaining 1 per cent. He was confident that a final
agreement could be achieved soon to conclude the task of delineating
the entire border. Timor-Leste's relationship with Australia had also
been strengthened. On 12 January, Foreign Ministers Ramos-Horta and
Downer signed an agreement to share revenues derived from the Greater
Sunrise oil and gas field. Timor-Leste would receive 50 per cent of
the upstream revenues. That would, not doubt, facilitate the economic
and social development of the country.
Timor-Leste had made "major progress in peacebuilding, but peace
remains fragile", he said. Next year, for the first time since the
restoration of independence, presidential and parliamentary elections
would take place. Remembering what happened in 1975, the Timorese
leaders had reminded all that those elections would be a critical test
for the nascent democratic State. An electoral needs assessment
mission fielded in November 2005 had concluded that, for the elections
to be free and fair, Timor-Leste needed international assistance and a
strong political presence. Following the Mission's recommendations,
UNOTIL was already recruiting three technical advisers to assist in
drafting electoral laws, planning the electoral administrative process
and establishing a voter database. He invited Council members to
refer to the letter by Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri to the
Secretary-General requesting the establishment of a special political
office. He recommends that the Council carefully examine that
request, taking into account the newly emerging political and security
situation.
Batch 3 here (missing).
ROBERT TACHIE-MENSON ( Ghana) said he was impressed by what had been
achieved in terms of national reconstruction since 2002. Following a
brutal internal conflict between 1975 and 1999, the country had risen
from the ashes and built a new State and accountable Government,
which, in partnership with the international community, was gradually
building State institutions from the local to national levels.
Criminal law had been strengthened through the advent of new
legislation, and various capacity-building programmes were now in
place for the promotion of good governance and human rights. The
police services were also being rebuilt. The present situation of
calm and stability was a manifestation of the effectiveness of the
partnership with the international community. What was happening in
Timor-Leste was a "shining example" of what could be achieved by
post-conflict peacebuilding.
He said he commended the increased assistance to the legislative and
judicial sectors, in view of their critical role. Similarly, he
aligned himself with the Secretary-General's recommendation requesting
international support for the general election in 2007, an important
milestone towards a system of democratic governance. That Timor-Leste
had taken its proper place in the international community was a
tribute, not only to the resilience and determination of the
Government and its people, but also to UNOTIL and the international
donor community, including the world financial institutions. An
international presence was necessary to sustain nation-building, and
he, thus, supported the Government's request for the United Nations to
establish a follow-on peacebuilding office once the UNOTIL's mandate
expired in May. Meanwhile, he condemned the gross human rights
violations and, in pursuing justice, the Governments of both
Timor-Leste and Indonesia should be encouraged to find a way forward
on that issue through constructive dialogue.
LARS FAABORG-ANDERSEN ( Denmark), associating himself with the
statement to be made on behalf of the European Union, said that the
capacity of the Timorese Government and security forces had improved
and the stage was increasingly set for a smooth transfer from UNOTIL
to a sustainable development framework. The next major step would be
the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections. However, as a
nascent democracy, the situation in Timor-Leste remained fragile and
continued to rely on international support. As a result, Denmark
supported Timor-Leste's request for a continued political United
Nations presence, although that presence should be small, so as to
leave the Timorese in the "driver's seat".
He welcomed the presentation by President Gusmão of the Truth
Commission report to the Secretary-General last Friday and expressed
the hope that it would soon be officially published to help the
Timorese people obtain clarity about their past. The scars of the
past would never completely heal until the truth was revealed and all
those responsible for the past atrocities were brought to justice.
Impunity must not be an option and in that regard, Denmark was
concerned about the provision of amnesty contained in the statute of
the bilateral Commission on Truth and Friendship. In addition, the
safety and security of victims and witnesses who had testified
previously must be protected at all times. Denmark looked forward to
the Secretary-General's report on the issue of justice and
reconciliation, taking into account the report of the Commission of
Experts, as well as the views expressed by the Indonesia and
Timor-Leste. That report could benefit from taking also the Truth
Commission report into account, and could provide useful guidance to
the Council in the post-UNOTIL period.
CÉSAR MAYORAL ( Argentina) said he was pleased that the UNOTIL had
continued to help strengthen the Timorese institutions, with a view to
the development of a self-sufficient capacity in the area of human
rights protection, policing and other matters. Those gains would help
ensure a smooth transition to a framework of assistance for
sustainable development. Despite all the progress, however, the
country still required assistance, since it remained a poor country
requiring international assistance in various areas beyond May.
Certain international agencies and bilateral donors had been
identified to provide support, but some key aspects had not been
covered. All options should be kept open until May, since, if it was
not possible to identify bilateral or multilateral donors, the United
Nations would have to provide support directly. International
assistance for the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2007
was also very important.
He said that, in principle, he supported the Prime Minister's request
concerning the establishment of a special political office. He hoped
the Secretary-General would present specific proposals in that regard
in his next report. Regarding relations with Indonesia, he was
pleased that they had continued to improve and that the parties had
made gains in respect of the demarcation of the land border.
Hopefully, progress would continue in that regard. He was also
pleased at the agreement reached between Timor-Leste and Australia
concerning the distribution of earnings. President Gusmão had
presented the Secretary-General with the report on human rights, which
had addressed violations from 1994 to 1999. He wished to know what
sort of action the Government envisaged and the ways in which the
United Nations could assist. He also noted the creation of a
bilateral commission for truth and friendship with Indonesia, and he
hoped that would establish the truth of the human rights violations.
He was ready to consider practical ways and means to develop the
justice system, taking into account the needs of victims and families.
KONSTANTIN K. DOLGOV ( Russian Federation) expressed condolences to
Guatemala following the death of their peacekeepers in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo. That reaffirmed the need to help countries
resolve their conflicts and to preserve the safety and security of
United Nations peacekeepers.
He said his country welcomed the progress made in the transition of
Timor-Leste towards Statehood, as well as the enhancement of the law
enforcement services. However the capacity of State organs was not
yet robust enough and the country had not yet achieved a sufficient
level of independence to ensure sustainable development. The Russian
Federation hoped that the Truth and Friendship Commission would help
strengthen the relationship between Timor-Leste and Indonesia,
especially in the resolution of questions relating to the past
violations of human rights.
NASSIR ABDULAZIZ AL-NASSER ( Qatar) thanked the Governments of
Timor-Leste and Indonesia for working seriously to improve relations
between them, a process that was carried out with distinction through
a mutual show of good faith. Qatar saluted the courageous decision of
the two countries to establish the bilateral Commission for Truth and
Friendship and their agreement on delineating the land border between
the two countries. Thanks to that development the general situation
remained calm, except for a few isolated incidents, which could occur
normally along any stretch of common land borders between States.
Qatar noted with appreciation the quick response of the Timorese
national police following the incursions of former militias, which had
led to a number of arrests. That response was reassuring to the
Timorese living close to border areas.
PETER BURIAN ( Slovakia) said he shared the evaluation of the
situation contained in the Secretary-General's report, and he was
pleased to note that Timor-Leste was making steady and tangible
progress in reconstruction and State-building. Despite the remarkable
progress in the establishment of democratic institutions, however,
formidable challenges remained to be addressed, in order to assist the
country in recovering from conflict and developing capacities to
achieve sustainable peace and development. In the past three years,
the Government of Timor-Leste had proved that it was capable of
assuming ownership and responsibility for the solutions to problems of
transition. Lack of human and financial resources, as well as
insufficient infrastructure and administrative capacities at the
present stage, however, required continued international assistance
and engagement. He commended the activities of UNOTIL in supporting
the development of critical State institutions, police and judiciary,
and the appointment of a new Resident Coordinator to assume his post
in February marked the gradual transition from relief to development.
There was no doubt, he said, that the key milestone on the road of
transition would be the presidential and parliamentary elections in
May 2007. The establishment of a solid legal framework to govern the
election played a crucial role in a transparent and credible outcome.
He supported the Secretary-General's recommendation to retain an
international political presence until the end of the electoral
process. The proposal made by the President of Timor-Leste to create
a smaller, special United Nations political office after UNOTIL
expired in May deserved further serious consideration. Recent border
incidents with Indonesia underlined the need to address the issues of
proper training for border police and finalizing the demarcation
process. He urged both Timor-Leste and Indonesia to continue working
out measures to strengthening confidence in the border area, and he
welcomed the development of contacts between the Border Patrol Unit in
Timor-Leste and its Indonesian counterpart.
At the same time, reconciliation must not, in any way, mean that those
who committed the most serious crimes of rape and murder escaped
unpunished, he stressed. By overlooking the wrongs of the past, the
international community would set a "very dangerous" precedent and
send the wrong signal to those who were committing and planning
atrocities in other parts of the world. The cycle of impunity must be
broken and the perpetrators must be brought to justice. The former
United Nations Serious Crimes Unit and the Commission for Reception,
Truth and Reconciliation had documented thousands of instances of
torture, rape and execution, which must be fully investigated and
appropriately prosecuted. He was convinced that the time was coming
when the issue of Timor-Leste would "graduate" from the Council's
agenda and be transferred as a successful case of a resolved conflict
to the Peacebuilding Commission and other United Nations institutions
to further and more appropriately assist the Government in completing
the process of peacebuilding and transition.
JEAN-MARC DE LA SABLIÈRE ( France) welcomed the strengthening of ties
between Timor-Leste and its neighbours, especially Indonesia and
Australia, despite some incidents of violence on the land border
between Timor-Leste and Indonesia. Stabilization was well under way
but a stronger effort was still needed to make it durable,
particularly in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary
elections to be held in 2007. France had taken note of the
Timor-Leste's request for the establishment of a United Nations
special political office to take over after the expiration of UNOTIL's
mandate.
He stressed the importance of national reconciliation for the
stabilization of Timor-Leste, which set an example for the entire
region. That reconciliation should not be based on impunity, because
only justice could allow the establishment of lasting peace.
President Gusmão had presented to the Secretary-General the report of
the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on the human rights violations
that had taken place in Timor-Leste between 1974 and 1999 and noted
the reservations expressed by the Secretary-General Commission of
Experts about the insufficiency of the means by which the perpetrators
of those violations had been pursued. France looked forward to the
Secretary-General's recommendation on those matters, as well as to the
view expressed by Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
ADMANTIOS VASSILAKIS ( Greece) said he was encouraged by the
significant positive developments, and it seemed that sufficient
progress had been made towards further developing the
capacity-building of the Timorese democratic State institutions in the
sectors of justice, human rights and national police. The successful
holding and completion of local elections, the preparation of the
presidential and parliamentary elections, and the adoption of key
legislation manifested that the process to create a functioning
democracy was on the right track in a country that gained its
independence just four years ago. In addition, he highly appreciated
the improving relations between Timor-Leste and Indonesia, as well as
the progress made in the negotiations for finalizing the delineation
of the remaining land border. The establishment and work of the
Commission for Truth and Friendship indicated both countries' resolve
to achieve accountability for crimes and human rights violations
committed in 1999. He hoped for tangible results in the fight against
impunity.
He said he welcomed the signing, a few days ago, of the agreement with
Australia on equally sharing the revenues from the natural resources
of the Timor Sea. That agreement would greatly contribute to the much
needed sustainable economic growth and would enable Timor-Leste to
attain the Millennium Development Goals. Of course, major challenges
remained, especially the difficult economic situation in Timor-Leste.
In that respect, the work of various United Nations specialized
agencies, such as the World Bank, the UNDP and the International
Monetary Fund must also be commended. The UNOTIL assistance to the
Government and people of Timor-Leste had been invaluable. Given the
expiration of its mandate in May, he was pleased to note that
preparations were under way for a successful transfer of certain tasks
to other international development actors. The recent request made by
Timor-Leste's Prime Minister for establishing a United Nations Special
Political Office deserved particular attention. He extended his
Government's best wishes to the President of Timor-Leste for a speedy
fulfilment of all the goals of the Timorese people for the stable and
prosperous future they deserved.
ADAM THOMSON (United Kingdom), associating himself with the European
Union statement to be made by the representative of Austria, said his
delegation recognized the very important role played by the United
Nations over the years, most recently by UNOTIL. It was to be hoped
that the final few months of its mandate would see the fulfilment of
its remit, particularly in the training of the Border Patrol Unit.
He said the United Kingdom was pleased to see the completion of the
report of the Reception, Truth and Reconciliation Commission and by
its presentation to the Secretary-General by President Gusmão. The
United Kingdom looked forward to receiving the Secretary-General's
report on reconciliation and justice in Timor-Leste. Further efforts
remained in that regard and the presidential election to be held in
2007 would be important as a key process in embedding democracy and
ensuring the country's future stability. There could be a case for
the establishment of a small United Nations presence in the country to
follow on from UNOTIL. The Secretariat should do some thinking on
what such a presence would require and report to the Council before
the expiration of UNOTIL's mandate.
OSWALDO DE RIVERO ( Peru) said that Timor-Leste had continued to make
progress towards effective democratic governance, despite the
difficulties in the judicial and financial spheres. There had been
local elections with broad grass-roots participation and the rule of
law had been strengthened through the adoption of a penal code, the
code of civil procedure and other important legislation. Moreover,
preparations were under way for the parliamentary and presidential
elections scheduled for 2007. In the area of international relations,
Timor-Leste had made significant advances in terms of human rights
agreements, as well as progress in the demarcation of the land border
with Indonesia. In addition, the bilateral Commission for Truth and
Friendship had now begun its work. Likewise with Australia, an
agreement had been signed to share the resources of the Timor Sea.
That would provide resources to improve Timor-Leste's fragile economic
situation.
He said that, notwithstanding those political advances, there were
still few prospects for economic or financial viability for
Timor-Leste. The country still had one of the lowest per capita
incomes in the world, at some $400 per year. For that reason, the
most important future undertaking was to make the economy viable.
That must be done through ensuring greater contributions of additional
development partners, including at the April conference. He had
appreciated the transmission of the report of the Commission on
Reception, Truth and Reconciliation on the human rights violations
suffered by the Timorese between 1974 and 1999. Hopefully, the
Secretary-General would issue an opinion bearing in mind the words of
an eminent scholar that the purpose of such a commission was not to
learn all the truth, as that was virtually impossible, but to bring to
light that which had been hidden, that which people did not want
known. Meanwhile, UNOTIL's mandate should be extended beyond May, and
he urged development partners to do everything possible to ensure that
the new democratically elected Government would find itself with an
economically viable country.
KENZO OSHIMA ( Japan) said he was encouraged to see the steady,
remarkable improvement in diplomatic relations between Timor-Leste and
its neighbours. Occasional incidents along the border with Indonesia
were resolved through dialogue backed up by the improved bilateral
relationship between the two countries. Japan hoped that the
remaining work of the delineation of the land border with Indonesia
would be completed soon. Japan also welcomed the recent agreement
reached between Timor-Leste and Australia over the sharing of revenues
from oil and gas development in the Timor Sea.
He underscored the necessity of ensuring that the United Nations and
the international community continued to provide appropriate, timely
support, which was still needed in Timor-Leste, and of shaping that
support to the country's changing needs. Timor-Leste had moved from
conflict to peacekeeping to peacebuilding and, as it had gone through
those phases, the United Nations presence and assistance had evolved
from the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor
(UNTAET) to the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor
(UNMISET) and finally to UNOTIL to meet the country's changing needs
and had done so quite successfully. While Japan recognized the
importance of UNOTIL's successful completion of its tasks, it would
study Timor-Leste's request in considering the modality of United
Nations assistance in the post-UNOTIL period.
Stressing the need to address the serious crimes that had taken place
in Timor-Leste, he said that the spirit that had prompted the joint
establishment of the Commission of Truth and Friendship by Timor-Leste
and Indonesia should be respected. It was to be hoped that the
Commission would produce results that met its own aims as well as the
expectations of the international community. The Security Council had
requested the Secretary-General to provide his own views on justice
and reconciliation for Timor-Leste, employing a practical, realistic
approach and taking into account the views of the two countries. The
issue could be resolved through the productive engagement of all
parties concerned who were present at today's meeting.
WANG GUANGYA ( China) said he was pleased that the situation had
remained calm and that the rule of law had gradually improved, as had
relations with neighbouring States. He congratulated the Timorese
Government and its people on the achievement of nation-building
endeavours, and he appreciated UNOTIL's work in that respect. As one
of the poorest countries in the world, Timor-Leste had little
infrastructure and the road towards nation-building had not been
easy. The question of how to continue the "success story" was the
unshakable responsibility both of the international community and the
Security Council. Within its remaining mandate, UNOTIL should focus
more on transferring skills and knowledge, with a view to building
capacity. It should also continue to cooperate with international and
bilateral partners in making careful and proper arrangements to ensure
the continuing functioning of State institutions, following the
UNOTIL's withdrawal.
Noting that the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2007 would
be a major challenge, he said that a special political office, in line
with that Government's request, would help ensure the success of those
elections. He called on the Council to reach agreement on relevant
arrangements in a way that would ensure the country's lasting
stability. A sound environment for development and the resolution of
problems with neighbouring States would contribute significantly to
regional peace and stability, as well. In that respect, the Timorese
leadership had demonstrated exceptional courage by taking the
strategic decisions with foresight. He appealed for international
support in that regard, and he urged donors, the United Nations system
and international financial institutions to continue to pay attention
to, and generously help, that country embark on the path of
sustainable development. China would support Timor-Leste's
independence and national-building, and develop trade and economic
cooperation with it.
LUC JOSEPH OKIO ( Congo) said that the situation had improved thanks
to the establishment of effective democracy, which included the
holding of elections, and greater respect for human rights on the part
of the national police. President Gusmão's presentation of the final
Truth Commission report after five years of work had made that
possible. That report would hopefully unearth the truth of the grim
chapter between 1974 and 1999 and to the punishment of those
responsible. The Congolese delegation was very anxious to see the
final adoption of that report.
He welcomed the good relationship between Timor-Leste and its
neighbours, particularly Indonesia and Australia. However, it looked
forward to seeing the final delineation of the land border between
Timor-Leste and Indonesia. The border incident that had caused the
deaths of three people could be described as sensitive. He was also
pleased to see the progress in agreeing on the sharing of revenues
from the oil and gas between Timor-Leste and Australia.
Much had been achieved, thanks to the support of the international
community, he said. However, Timor-Leste, like a newborn child, still
needed the support of the international community. It still faced
some challenges, including the holding of presidential and
parliamentary elections for the first time since independence. It
also required support to build on its achievements. On the basis of
what had been said during this morning's meeting, the Congolese
delegation concluded that it was not that the international community
had not done enough, but how to put those actions to greater effect.
WILLIAM J. BRENCICK ( United States) commended UNOTIL for its
excellent work. The Secretary-General's report and the
recommendations of the United Nations assessment mission had
underlined the significant strides made by the Government and the
people, and he congratulated them on their achievements. The
management of the situation in Timor-Leste was a good model for
peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts; the international community
came in when it was needed, it performed well, and it left when its
tasks were completed. After the conclusion of UNOTIL's mandate,
formidable challenges would remain. Ending UNOTIL did not mean, and
should not mean, ending assistance to Timor-Leste, and the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and a variety of
world donors should continue to provide assistance. He would work to
ensure that such assistance continued.
He said that the United Nations recommendations for assistance to the
country's post-independent elections had illustrated how the
Organization could continue to be helpful, while respecting
Timor-Leste's sovereignty. He strongly supported a credible process
to determine accountability for the crimes against humanity in 1999,
and he hoped the Secretariat and other members would soon brief on the
comprehensive report prepared by the expert commission, which should
name names of perpetrators and protect witnesses, among other things.
AUGUSTINE P. MAHIGA (United Republic of Tanzania) said he was
encouraged by the many positive developments recorded by UNOTIL,
including the completion of the final rounds of local elections in a
peaceful and orderly manner, with a huge voter turnout. He also
commended the progress made in the border demarcation with Indonesia.
The prevailing environment of good-neighbourliness, as manifested by
the recent signing of an agreement with Australia on sharing natural
resources and revenue from the Timor Sea, and the timely move to start
preparations for the parliamentary and presidential elections were
also notable. Despite such remarkable progress, many institutions
were still young and fragile, requiring continued international
support in strengthening good governance, security and sustainable
development.
He said that the country would benefit from a small United Nations
presence in the form of a special political office to help complete
the unfinished work, including the provision of electoral assistance.
Civil advisers should also be made available in the justice and
financial sectors, as well as for police training and
capacity-building in the security sector. He fully supported the
Government's "modest" requests. The human rights issues should be
dealt with, in order for justice to be served and reconciliation to be
achieved in cooperation with Indonesia and in a manner that met the
international community's expectations.
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For information media o not an official record
