UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
Statement by Mr Bassim Blazey, Counsellor, Australian Mission to the United Nations, to the United Nations
The Situation in East Timor
New York 14 November 2002
Mr President
Thank you for convening this open meeting on an issue of deep interest to Australia. I thank Ambassador Sharma for his comprehensive and valuable briefing on UNMISET�€™s first six months in operation. I also would like to record Australia�€™s pleasure in seeing Timor-Leste, represented by Ambassador Guterres, participate in this important meeting.
Mr President
Timor-Leste�€™s participation today as an independent state symbolises the important fact that this is, ultimately, Timor-Leste�€™s own issue. Our task is simply to assess how well UNMISET has been assisting Timor-Leste strengthen its institutions and make the transition to self-reliant statehood and a more traditional relationship with the donor community.
By all accounts UNMISET has acquitted itself extremely well and is largely on track to fulfil its mandate. This has been assisted enormously by the good cooperation between Timor-Leste and Indonesia, which is detailed in the Secretary-General�€™s report. Good neighbourly relations are the bedrock of security in the region. We are gratified to see progress on bilateral dialogue to resolve border demarcation and the constructive first meeting last month of the Indonesia-East Timor Joint Ministerial Commission. We also welcome continuing progress on the refugee issue. Resolving this promptly will mark a very important milestone and will contribute significantly to the long-term stability of Timor-Leste and to its sound relations with Indonesia.
Timor-Leste�€™s establishment of diplomatic relations with nearly all of its ASEAN neighbours, its participation in ASEAN meetings as an invited observer and in Pacific Island Forum meetings as a special observer, augur well for its longer term relationships in the region.
Consistent with a generally improving security environment, the Peace Keeping Force is on track to meeting its downsizing targets. This is welcome. The draw down timetable and associated milestones recommended by the Secretary General and endorsed by the Council are based on sound planning and assessments.
Mr President, trends in the security environment are not linear and the situation is inherently dynamic. We welcome the recognition in the Secretary-General�€™s report that terrorism is an issue that needs careful attention. Following the devastating bomb attack in Bali, this point does not need to be laboured. But let me underline that, as the region as a whole redoubles its effort to combat terror, UNMISET too must examine carefully how it can assist Timor Leste to address this international scourge.
In the longer term, the UN, including through the Counter-Terrorism Committee, needs to consider how best to coordinate and support donor efforts to strengthen and develop Timor Leste�€™s indigenous counter-terrorism capabilities. In this context I should like to record Australia�€™s appreciation for the professionalism and cooperation we have received in recent times from UNMISET and the East Timor Police Service, and from the Government of Timor-Leste, in responding to possible terrorist threats.
We consider that assistance with the development of an effective general policing capability should be a high priority for UNMISET. We welcome recent efforts in this area by UNMISET. The appointment of a training adviser for UNPOL and the East Timor Police Service and the planned joint needs assessment should help encourage a more strategic and coordinated approach to strengthening the police. This is crucial and will have Australia�€™s support.
Closely related to the strengthening of the police is the development of effective border controls. Building capacity in this area goes directly to UNMISET�€™s core security mandate. A porous border could exacerbate internal security problems and undermine regional and global efforts against terrorism and other trans-border security challenges.
Mr President
The need for greater attention to the justice sector is widely acknowledged. I will not go through the details, which are set out clearly in the Secretary-General�€™s report. Suffice it to say that more effort is required to foster efficient and professionally functioning courts and a prison system. Practical solutions will be important. In this context, we also note the importance of the UN supporting the work of the Serious Crimes Unit.
Capacity limitations in the justice sector are only one of many that Timor-Leste�€™s administration faces. Building up Timor-Leste�€™s administrative and governance capabilities presents a substantial ongoing challenge and underlines the wisdom of the decision in resolution 1410 to help Timor-Leste in these areas. Such assistance is, of course, not simply the responsibility of UMINSET. Bilateral and multilateral support remain vital. Australia encourages this, including through donors meeting their pledges in a timely way.