PRESS CONFERENCE GIVEN BY THE
PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
FOR EAST TIMOR
AMBASSADOR JAMSHEED MARKER
AFTER THE TRIPARTITE TALKS
HELD ON 26 AUGUST 1999 IN LISBON
(Portuguese Foreign Ministry, Palacio das Necessidades)
PRSG Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen, and thank you for coming here. I just hope to brief you on the outcome of the senior officials' meeting that we had today. Before I do that I want to express the thanks of the Secretary-General and of my delegation for the splendid arrangements, for the hospitality provided to us by the Government of Portugal and for the opportunities given to us for meetings with the Prime Minister, whom I met yesterday, and the President whom I am going to be meeting later this evening.
We had a very useful and constructive meeting here and one in which the same spirit of co-operation that has prevailed throughout our senior officials' meetings continued.
Specifically the senior officials' meeting discussed the following points: the first was the current status of the consultation process and here I want to say that UNAMET is technically and logistically prepared to conduct the ballot. The current security problems were discussed and all agreed to do their utmost to halt the recent acts of violence in Dili, acts which the three parties deeply deplored. Now, in this connection, I have just heard from New York that the Secretary-General has issued a very strong statement. Copies of that I do not have with me at the moment, but I am sure that you will be able to find. It will be certainly on the Internet. I haven't received it, they are in the process of sending it to me. But on this strong statement on this issue you will be able to see it for yourselves. The Security Council is meeting even as we speak now and will also be making a statement in this connection.
The second point that we discussed was the establishment of the East Timorese Consultative Commission. The two sides, both pro-independent and pro-autonomy, have nominated ten persons each to this commission. The senior officials' meeting discussed the nominees which have been considered to be the nominees of the Secretary-General which will be another five and we had discussions on this. Now all these nominees, the names are provisional because are in the process of meeting them and discussing it with them, but the composition remains at twenty-five, ten from the pro-integration, ten nominated by the pro-independence and five which will be nominated by the Secretary-General in consultation with the two groups.
The Commission will be finalized before the ballot is announced, it will be finalized on 31 August, before the result of the ballot is announced. Now this is important because we did want to have this Commission in place before the announcement is made so that they can function together. It is also important about this Commission to bear in mind that they are in equal proportion from both sides, so there is the assurance that it won't be imbalanced on the basis of whatever the vote is and so both sides can be assured that in their future work there will be equality in terms of representation.
Following the ballot, the senior officials' meeting will establish a sub-group to deal with the technical aspects of the implementation of the results of the consultation. This sub-group will also work in consultation with the East Timorese Consultative Commission which I have just talked about. The senior officials will meet again in New York, after the ballot. We have not fixed the date yet.
The senior officials' meeting took note of the information provided by Ambassador Wisnamurti that the Indonesian Government intends to release Xanana Gusmao shortly after the announcement of the ballot result.
Lastly, the senior officials' meeting agreed in principle on the need for Portugal to continue to be officially represented in East Timor during the interim period following the consultation process.
These are the main points of that we discussed today. It is going to be, as I said, a continuing process, these trilateral negotiations, they have brought us very far up to now and we hope that they will continue to do so. It is an important instrument in our negotiating process and it is something that the Secretary-General wishes it should continue. So that it is what I have to say. The leaders of the two delegations will be shortly addressing you individually. I am now ready to take your questions. Thank you.
Question: I would like to know if the three parties have considered Monday as the day of referendum or if there is any different opinion about the date of the referendum, if the referendum can be delayed.
PRSG: Let me be quite specific. There is absolutely no question of delaying the referendum. All the parties were unanimous on this. It's certainly the intention of the Secretary-General. He has made that very clear in his statement of today. Well, I think that it has arrived in time, so before I take any more questions, perhaps... With your permission this is the statement by the Secretary-General.
QUOTE
The Secretary-General is appalled and gravely concerned by reports
received from his SRSG of widespread violence in Dili today, involving the loss
of lives. The Secretary-General demands that the Indonesian authorities take urgent steps to restore and maintain law and order. Those who are responsible for planning and carrying out these acts of violence must be arrested. The Secretary-General again reminds the Indonesian authorities of their obligations under the 5 May 1999 arrangements. It is particularly crucial that, even at this late sate, concrete and effective steps be taken by Indonesia to control the militia who, is it increasingly clear, are intent on disrupting the popular consultation.
I am determined that the United Nations will fulfill its responsibilities to the people of East Timor and will not be deterred by threats and intimidation from lawless elements.
END OF QUOTATION
And this is the end of the statement. Right. Thank you. Now, any more questions.
Question: I would like to know if you talked about the future of the United Nations, in the field, for instance if you talked about a peace-keeping force after the consultation.
PRSG: We talked about the future activities of the United Nations, of how it will be functioning. The issue of peacekeeping has not come up yet. As you know, there is going to be a massive increase in the civilian police as well as in the military liaison officers. And this is the way we are going for the time being. Under the May 5 agreement, it continues to remain the responsibility of Indonesia for the maintenance of law and order.
Question: Will there be an increase in security on these days, near the consultation?
PRSG: I am sorry. Could you repeat the question?
Question: Will there be an increase of security in Dili during Monday?
PRSG: As has been pointed out security is the responsibility, under the May 5 agreement, of the Government of Indonesia, and we have called on them to carry out this obligation. They have assured us that they would do so, that they would increase the security forces.
Question: Do you believe after the violence of today that there are conditions of safety to the poll?
PRSG: The short answer to that is yes. We intend to go ahead with it regardless of what happened today. As the Secretary-General has pointed out, we will not be intimidated by elements that are trying to disrupt the process.
Question: Up to this point it seems that there are weapons in civilians' hands. What does the United Nations intend to do about this?
PRSG: Well, there has been an agreement for the laying down of arms. We have called on the Indonesian authorities to arrest anyone who is carrying arms and that is what are calling them do again. But a certain amount of arms have in fact been surrendered by both sides. But obviously not enough.
Question: Did the meeting discuss some matters (not audible).
PRSG: Sorry, could you repeat that question?
Question: Has the meeting discussed about some people, non-ethnics from Timor that have registered in Portugal UNAMET?
PRSG: Yes, we did discuss this question in some detail and the situation is that they have fulfilled the technical requirements under the May 5 agreement. Although in terms of the spirit of the agreement it is perhaps not right. But we did discuss this matter.
Question: There are many hundreds of people that are leaving their residence afraid from the violence by militias. How can these people vote if they don't come to the residence because of fear?
PRSG: Well, we are doing everything to ensure that everyone who is registered has a chance to come and vote. I myself am going to be there. Our teams are going to be there. We are going to be all over the island on 30th and will ensure that all the people who are registered will be able to vote.
Question: There have been lots of accusations that the Indonesian military are behind some of the militias who oppose independence. How do the Indonesian officials respond to that kind of accusation in your meeting with them? Do they accept it is true, are they investigating it or do they deny it?
PRSG: We have pointed out that there have been these accusations. We have told them that it is their responsibility to ensure that the acts of violence do not take place. Our intent is not go to into who did what but we are interested in maintaining peace and whichever way they decide, if they find they can do it is all we are interested in.
Question: ...Indonesia stops the violence... reports can listen some shots and so just a few hours again, so what do you expect from Indonesia to do and why did they not act yet?
PSRG: Well, this is contained in the Secretary-General's statement of today. The Security Council is also considering this matter. The violence that took place is deplorable but we are not going to let that deter us from continuing our efforts to find a solution through a free and fair ballot.
Question: Xanana Gusmao has asked for an intervention of the United Nations and the Security Council in a public statement to send some kind of peace-keeping military force because of violence. What do you want to answer him, to Xanana?
PSRG: Well this is an issue that the Security Council has to take up. It is not... you can't pick a peace-keeping force of the shelf in a shop. There is a whole procedure that goes through it. The Security Council has to consider this to be necessary. At the moment, we do not think that it is necessary, the conditions are not necessary for a peacekeeping force right now. But this is a decision that the Security Council has to take. Right. Thank you very much.
