Subject: UN ON EAST TIMOR
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 20:44:15 -0000
From: "Paula Pinto" <paularoque@mail.telepac.pt>HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON
BRIEFING BY FRED ECKHARD, SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY GENERAL UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Wednesday, 27 January 1999
EAST TIMOR
•The Secretary-General, in a statement, welcomed the reports of two major
announcements made in Jakarta with regard to the situation in East Timor.
1.The prospect of transferring the imprisoned leader of the National Council of
Timorese Resistance, Xanana Gusmao, to residential detention. 2.The reported willingness
of the Indonesian Government to countenance the possibility of independence for East Timor
if this were the wish of the people of the territory.
•The statement said the United Nations was in the process of ascertaining the
details of these reports.
•The Secretary-General had for some time now been urging the Indonesian Government
to release Xanana Gusmao, whose role in the political process is of paramount importance.
The Secretary-General hopes that it will soon be possible for Xanana Gusmao to actively
participate in the political dialogue.
•The tripartite talks, which will resume tomorrow, will continue to discuss the UN
autonomy proposal.
•The Secretary-General again underlined the need for maintaining peace and
avoiding unnecessary violence and bloodshed in East Timor. He urged all parties concerned
to show maximum restraint and political wisdom in dealing with this important period of
transition.
•In response to a question at the briefing, the spokesman informed the reporter
afterwards that the United Nations had not been alerted in advance of today's
announcement. ###
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