Agence France Presse February 11, 2000, Friday

UN chief urges 'credible' Indonesian trial against Timor criminals BANGKOK, Feb 11

UN chief Kofi Annan said Friday that if Indonesia holds a fair trial of those responsible for the carnage in East Timor there would be no need for the Security Council to act on the issue.

"Obviously if the government itself proceeds with a credible trial then the council will not want to compete with a second trial," he said.

"But we will keep an eye to make sure that indeed it will go ahead and make sure those responsible are brought to justice."

The UN Secretary-General said he had submitted the United Nation's own report on the Timor violence to the Security Council.

"I will not prejudge what the council will say," he said.

The United States has also said that Indonesian action to punish those responsible for the anti-independence violence in East Timor last year could void the need for an international court to consider the matter.

"If you (Indonesia) do the job right, there won't be a need for an international effort," Stanley Roth, assistant secretary of state for east Asian and Pacific affairs told the Senate and House of Representatives Thursday.

Indonesian Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said last week that the findings of an inquiry which implicated six generals, including former armed forces chief Wiranto in the destruction of East Timor, meant those responsible must go to trial.

President Abdurrahman Wahid has repeatedly and unsuccessfully called on Wiranto to resign from cabinet for his alleged role in the violence which swept East Timor.

East Timorese leaders have insisted Indonesia punish the perpetrators of the orgy of murder, arson and forced deportations launched by pro-Jakarta militias, backed by the Indonesian army, after East Timor's people voted for independence in August.

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