Vol. 509 No. 6
151 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself with the UN response to the situation in East Timor prior to the deployment of the international force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21063/99]
152 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself with the European response to the situation in East Timor prior to the deployment of the international force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21064/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 152 together.
Insufficient international attention for the very serious situation in East Timor was one of the main reasons why, through my visit there last April, I sought to highlight the urgent need for an adequate response in both the EC and the United Nations. Despite the activities of Portugal and the UN Secretary General, going back in both cases over many years, there was inadequate support from the international community. Following my visit, I informed the UN Secretary General, and also a number of other Governments, including our EU partners, of my grave concerns.
The agreement of 5 May between Indonesia, Portugal and the UN provided the basis for the referendum of 30 August and the subsequent steps towards independence which are now taking place. Under the terms of that agreement the Indonesian authorities were obliged to provide security and their failure to do so has still to be explained by them.
My designation by the Finnish Presidency of the EU as its special representative helped to raise the profile of the union generally, and also its team of monitors during the referendum. On behalf of the EU, I urged the Indonesian authorities at the highest level to respect the referendum process and to honour their commitments on security. When violence later escalated, I appealed to a number of my counterparts and also to the UN Security Council to take urgent action.
As a result of my reporting to my EU colleagues at their meeting in Finland on 5 September, the Union was better placed to react swiftly to the crisis and that this was reflected also in the efforts of the EU members of the security council to urge action by that body. A number of EU member states are now participating in INTERFET, and the Union and its member states have been contributing a considerable amount of emergency assistance.
I am satisfied that the Union fully supported the actions being taken, by Portugal and Ireland, before, during and after the referendum.
