YouSaid · the spoken record

Annabi

lines on the record: 845
first: 1999-12-22
most recent: 2009-09-09
sittings or episodes: 45
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In MLC-held territory in the north-west of the country, the human rights situation is also reportedly deteriorating. In general, humanitarian agencies have access to fewer than half of the 2 million internally displaced people in the country because of the prevailing security conditions. Humanitarian assistance activities in Ituri district have been seriously hindered following the killing in April of six relief workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross. Access in south Kivu has deteriorated significantly in the last few months, and in areas where humanitarian agencies have gained access, such as northern Katanga, the population has been found to be in a very bad state, raising concerns over conditions in the areas currently beyond the reach of the humanitarian community.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“The military court continues to try ordinary cases, despite the Government's declarations to the contrary. The trial has now opened in Likasi, Katanga province, of some 80 persons accused of involvement in the assassination of President Laurent-Desire Kabila, but human rights groups have complained that the accused have not had access to legal counsel. In RCD-controlled territory, in north Kivu, the climate of insecurity has also worsened, amid movements by armed groups towards Rwanda. Arbitrary arrests and extra-judicial executions are also continuing in the area. During the course of this month, frequent clashes between RCD forces and armed groups in south Kivu have resulted in killings, looting and population displacement.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“MONUC military observers also continue to verify the withdrawal of Namibian forces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in accordance with the timetable announced by the Namibian Government, which had announced that their forces would be withdrawn before the end of August. The Ugandan armed forces, - the Ugandan People's Defence Force (UPDF) - have also been observed to withdraw from Equateur province. However, the Ugandan Government has announced its intention to retain a presence in Buta and Beni, in the Northeast and North of the country, pending a review of the security situation there. Turning to human rights, serious violations of fundamental human rights persist throughout the country. On the Government side, opposition political parties still encounter severe restrictions when they seek to undertake political activities.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“However, this is an area where the armed elements of the Front pour la de'fence de la democratie (FDD) are known to operate in significant numbers. The coordination centres at Ilebo, Basankusu, Boende and Manono are being established, and the deployment of guard units in those locations will start in early October. Council members will recall that this was approved under resolution 1355 (2001). The purpose of these centres is to improve MONUC's logistical support of its operations in the interior of the country, and in particular to enhance the medical evacuation capacity.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“In the meantime, in agreement with the RCD, MONUC military observer teams were deployed in Uvira and Bukavu earlier this month and received a warm welcome from the population. A reconnaissance mission was also carried out at Beni on 20 August, and the deployment of a United Nations team in that location is taking place as we speak. On 16 August, a MONUC helicopter came under small-arms fire as it flew from Uvira to Kalemie, sustaining 14 bullet holes. Fortunately - I would say almost miraculously- there were no casualties and the helicopter landed safely. Since the incident, MONUC has taken additional security measures. To date, the identity of the assailant or assailants is unknown, and MONUC has requested the RCD, the local authorities in the area, to investigate the matter.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“In the meantime, MONUC continues to insist on the need to demilitarize Kisangani, as demanded by the Security Council in its resolution 1304 (2000). Though the RCD appears willing to discuss the issue, no concrete progress has yet been achieved in this regard. The parties have reported more than 100 alleged cease-fire violations, which MONUC has sought to investigate. In many cases, inquiries revealed that the allegations could not be substantiated. Moreover, many RCD complaints involve alleged attacks on their forces by armed groups that are not party to the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement. It should also be noted that the RCD has repeatedly declined to guarantee the security of the unarmed MONUC military observers expected to conduct the investigations, making it impossible, in a number of instances, for MONUC to dispatch such missions.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“Turning to military developments, the disengagement and redeployment of forces in accordance with the Harare plan of 6 December 2000 is complete in two of the four military sectors, with only a handful of sites awaiting verification in sector I and sector 4. In fact, a total of 88 of 96 agreed new deployment positions have been verified by MONUC. The delay in completing verification of the remaining sites in Equateur Province - sector I - relates to a request by MLC to maintain its civilian administration in order to protect the population from what it fears may be reprisals by Government forces. In sector 4, the RCD has indicated that it does not intend to occupy the remaining four new defensive positions, which is considered acceptable under the Harare subplan.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“The RCD has reportedly expelled 17 of its 51 founding members, while the two movements that together formed the Front du Liberation du Congo (FLC)- that is, the RCD-ML and the MLC - now appear to be drawing apart amid clashes between their respective forces in the Ituri district. Relations between MONUC and the Congolese parties have generally continued to be satisfactory. The Mission continues in particular to enjoy good cooperation from the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On the other hand, MONUC staff have been subjected to occasional harassment by the RCD in the East, which MONUC has taken up with the authorities concerned on a number of occasions.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“Jean-Pierre Bemba, of the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), and Mr. Adolphe Onusumba (RCD). This meeting was facilitated by Sir Ketumile Masire and reportedly contributed in setting the positive tone for the Gaborone talks. At the conclusion of the meeting, Foreign Minister She Okitundu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared that the war in the country had ended, a view which was echoed by many others, including Mr. Bemba, who pledged to pursue the political track. However, reports of harassment of some political opposition delegations on return to Kinshasa demonstrate that many challenges still remain as the date of the dialogue in Addis Ababa approaches. Over the recent weeks, the two rebel movements have continued to undergo internal leadership and membership changes.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“The Gaborone meeting also resulted in an agreement by the participants on key issues such as the liberalization of political life in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, respect for human rights, release of political prisoners and prisoners of war, freedom of movement of people and goods throughout the country, re-establishment of communication links in the country and the rehabilitation of the infrastructure, restitution of seized property, protection of the population from arbitrary arrests, protection of natural resources from illegal exploitation, and the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country in accordance with the Lusaka Agreement. Another key development that emerged in the margins of the preparatory talks was the convening of a meeting between President Kabila and rebel leaders, Mr.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“Approximately 70 delegates from the Congolese signatory parties to the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, as well as from civil society and every province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, took part in the preparatory meeting in Gaborone, which was conducted in a constructive atmosphere.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“Fighting - at least some fighting - continues in the East, primarily in the form of attacks by armed groups that are not signatories to the Lusaka Agreement on the forces of the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD) and the Rwandese armed forces (RPA). Serious human rights violations continue, and the humanitarian conditions for many - in fact, millions - inhabitants of the Democratic Republic of the Congo remain very poor. I will now go into more detail on some of these developments. On the political side, the preparatory meeting for the inter-Congolese dialogue was held in Gaborone from 20 to 24 August. It was remarkably successful. The parties have agreed to conduct the dialogue in Addis Ababa, starting on 15 October, for an estimated period of some 45 days.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“The disengagement of forces from the confrontation line and their redeployment to new defensive positions is largely complete. Namibia continues to withdraw its forces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in accordance with the schedule announced by the Namibian Government. And Uganda has withdrawn significant numbers of troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In addition, the preparatory meeting of the inter-Congolese dialogue reached agreement on a time and a place for the actual beginning of the dialogue. At the same time, there are still a number of areas of concern.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“Mr. Annabi: Since Mr. Kamel Morjane, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, last briefed the Security Council on the situation in that country on 24 July, the Secretary-General has appointed Mr. Amos Namanga Ngongi to succeed Mr. Morjane as his Special Representative. Mr. Ngongi will be arriving in Kinshasa today. As members of the Council are aware, the Secretary-General will himself be visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda starting on 1 September. The Secretary-General will be accompanied by Mr. Guehenno and other senior Secretariat officials. The overall situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to be favourable in many respects. The ceasefire along the confrontation line has continued to hold, by and large, since January.”
2001-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4361 (2001) · source
“Mr. Annabi: I do not think there were any specific questions addressed to Mr. Guehenno, and I know that members are eager to move on to their meeting with troop-contributing countries. I would like just to express our thanks to members of the Council for their kind words of appreciation regarding the work done by the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) and by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in support of the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I will gladly convey those expressions of appreciation to Mr. Morjane. I will also convey to him the good wishes expressed by members of the Council for his prompt recovery. As members know, he was unable to be here today because he is recovering from malaria.”
2001-06-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4327Resumption1 (2001) · source
“In fact, when we met this morning before the Council meeting, they were stressing the fact that in their View there will be a significant and substantial continuing need for international expertise after independence, in View of the severe lack of qualified administrators.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“We should remember, however, that East Timor has been less fortunate than some other territories seeking independence, and that until recently very little attention had been paid to the training of East Timorese experts and administrators. UNTAET is doing its best, but of course it takes time to create a generation of managers and administrators; it does not happen overnight. UNTAET will continue to consider this as an essential priority as it develops its plans and strategy for the post- independence period, in close consultation with Xanana Gusmao and Jose Ramos-Horta and their colleagues.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“They are playing an important role in the preparations for the elections for the Constituent Assembly, in particular by assisting in civic education and civil registration. In fact, when I visited East Timor in March, some of the registration stations were being entirely manned by them. And, of course, they will also assist in the other phases of the electoral process. So we use them whenever we can in our operations, because they are obviously a cost-effective resource. I think the last question was from the Ambassador of Sweden, speaking on behalf of the European Union, who suggested that further efforts should be made to increase capacity-building in governance, including in the districts. I fully agree that there is a lot of work to be done there.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“This was characterized by a member of the UNTAET delegation as a breakthrough. We hope that this agreement will now be promptly implemented because it could, of course, encourage refugee return. A second development, which could also play a role in encouraging refugee return, is the agreement to include a reference to a planned compensation fund for former State employees in the consolidated appeal for West Timor refugees, which is expected to be launched jointly by Indonesia and the United Nations in July. This fund could also provide an inducement for the return of refugees to East Timor. I was also asked to provide information on the role of United Nations Volunteers. We do, indeed, have a large number of United Nations Volunteers in East Timor; as of the end of April, the exact number was 664.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The fact is that, as the Secretary-General's report indicates, the situation in the camps is still not conducive to the return of refugees, and the intimidation and disinformation that have taken place are still having an effect on the refugee population in the camps. Of course, they are also still subject to the influence of militias that have not been disarmed or demobilized, as requested under Security Council resolution 1319 (2000). I do, however, have a piece of good news in this regard; it only reached us over lunch, which is why I did not include it in my briefing this morning. As our colleague from Indonesia said, during talks held in Denpasar, UNTAET and the Indonesian Government reached agreement on the resumption of pension payments to former Indonesian State employees residing in East Timor.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“He will shuttle between the task force and the working group in East Timor to ensure that the detailed planning on the ground and the policy decisions that will have to be made here in consultation with the agencies and departments concerned are in sync. This task force includes a core group drawn from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Department of Political Affairs, the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank, and holds larger meetings as required so as to enable other agencies that can contribute to the planning of the post- independence phase to make their own contribution. I was asked whether I could elaborate on the reasons for the decline in the return of refugees between March and April. It is true that there were very few returns in April.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“East Timorese who wish to register and vote in the elections of 30 August will have to come to East Timor to register and then to vote. But measures have been taken to ensure that registration stations and polling booths will be located close to the border with West Timor so that refugees who wish to vote would be given that possibility. UNTAET does not believe, however, that for obvious reasons it will be possible to organize the vote in West Timor. I was also asked to provide more information on the integrated mission task force. This task force was established about a month ago. It has been meeting regularly here at Headquarters. As the Council knows, on the ground UNTAET has also established a working group that will interact with the task force, and a senior official has been appointed to go and support the work of the working group.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“He will nonetheless continue, in consultation with our Timorese partners, to follow closely, the evolution of the security situation, on the understanding that he would not hesitate to propose to the Council in due course any reduction that he might find realistic and reasonable. Ambassador Doutriaux also asked whether the security assessment mission would take place this month. As stated in the report, the Security Coordinator has taken the decision to dispatch this assessment mission, and we still hope that it will be able to take place in the near future. (spoke in English) One question was whether refugees in camps in West Timor would be able to vote. The electoral regulation adopted by UNTAET on this is very clear.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“For the time being, I only wish to say that some of our bitter experiences of the last decade have taught us that it would not be prudent to take the risk of jeopardizing the considerable investments made by the international community in East Timor by prematurely reducing the troop level of UNTAET. The recommendations in the Secretary-General's report of 2 May are based on a strict analysis of the potential threat that could set back the preparation process for the independence of East Timor. The Secretary-General is firmly convinced that any premature reduction in troop level must be avoided.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Mr. Annabi: I think the first question related to the reported lack of progress in obtaining payment of electricity bills and airport charges. I take that on board and will revert to it once we receive the technical information on this from UNTAET. I know they have been working on these issues, but I am not in a position today to give you a precise answer. Ambassador Doutriaux of France had raised certain questions. (Spoke in French) I would like to say that we did take due note of the questions raised by the French delegation regarding the structure and the strength of UNTAET. The Secretariat will address those questions in the report that the Security Council has requested the Secretary- General to submit at the end of July.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“He therefore favours a prudent approach that seeks to safeguard the international community's considerable investment in East Timor's future. His report at the end of July will a provide further opportunity to review the situation.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“A team of experts has visited East Timor to review UNTAET's assets to determine their future utility and possible disposition. A further step has been taken with the appointment of a senior United Nations official to coordinate planning between United Nations Headquarters and the field. That official will travel to East Timor next week. The donor conference to be held in Canberra, Australia, in mid- June will also provide an opportunity to review this work prior to the next report to the Security Council, which is scheduled for the end of July. To conclude, the Secretary-General is aware of concerns among Member States regarding the level of resources committed to this operation. However, he is also conscious of the comprehensive responsibility the United Nations has assumed in East Timor.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“Given the uncertain outlook on security, the Secretary-General concludes in his report that it would be prudent to maintain the military component of UNTAET essentially in its present form until the East Timorese Government has established itself. The Secretary- General will of course keep this matter under review and will propose any adjustments warranted by the situation. With regard to the post-independence presence of the United Nations, planning is under way in Dili, where a working group has been established. For a number of weeks, that working group has been working to prepare appropriate plans. Here at Headquarters, an integrated mission task force has also begun its work to support and complement the work of the working group in Dili and to effect coordination among the organizations concerned.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“On 4 May a Jakarta court handed down sentences ranging from 10 to 20 months to six men, in connection with the killings on 6 September 2000 of three UNHCR staff members in West Timor. The international community received this outcome with shock and disbelief. Clearly, given the gravity of those crimes, this cannot be the last word. We have since been informed that the Indonesian prosecutor has appealed the judgement. As the Council requested, the report addresses the issue of security. The overall security situation is currently good, but the report also identifies risks, both internal and external, especially in View of the heightened and sensitive political season ahead, which will conclude with the formation of the first Government of an independent East Timor.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“UNTAET is seeking to pursue this matter during the course of its bilateral negotiations on outstanding issues with the Indonesian Government. These negotiations actually resumed this week. The Secretary-General refers in his report to President Wahid's decree of 24 April, establishing an ad hoc tribunal to deal with gross violations of human rights in East Timor, that will enable the first Indonesian trials to start. However, the decree limits the tribunal's jurisdiction to acts committed after the ballot of 30 August 1999, thus excluding earlier atrocities from prosecution. Mr. Vieira de Mello has urged the Indonesian authorities to reissue the decree without temporal restrictions.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“As members of the Council will appreciate, in the absence of a permanent international presence in West Timor following the brutal murders of three workers from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the continuing presence of militia, obtaining concrete information has proven very difficult. Indonesian human rights and non-governmental organizations monitoring the camps have attempted to gather information on these cases, but their access to the camps is limited and, where contact is made, many of the women are reluctant to speak. Most cases remain unknown until a woman returns to East Timor and makes a complaint. Of the 25 abduction and rape cases currently under investigation by UNTAET's Serious Crimes Unit, one woman remains in West Timor.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“I wish to say a word about refugees. The visits undertaken by UNTAET's Chief of Staff to four refugee camps in West Timor from 9 to 11 April were the main development covered in the report, but I regret to have to inform the Council that, since then, there has been no tangible progress in resolving the situation of the refugees. Discussions between UNTAET and the Indonesian authorities continue and the Indonesian authorities have informed UNTAET that they plan to undertake a one-day registration of the refugees in West Timor in June. As members will recall, this registration had been scheduled for this month, but it has now been postponed to next month. At the last Security Council meeting on East Timor on 5 April, I undertook to revert to the question of the abduction of East Timorese women to West Timor.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“There have been some technical difficulties, as members of the Council may be aware, but additional equipment has arrived and UNTAET is working very hard to complete the registration exercise by the 20 June deadline so as to enable the ballot to occur on 30 August, as anticipated. On the economic side, the major developments in the rehabilitation of the economy and infrastructure are covered in the report. Therefore, I will not repeat them. I should simply say that, as regards the exploitation of oil and gas resources in the Timor Sea, very useful talks were held with the Government of Australia at the beginning of this month. These talks were held in a constructive spirit. The next round is scheduled to take place in Dili later this month, at which time work will begin on the drafting of the text of a treaty.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“The Council requested the Secretary-General to report to it by 30 April 2001 on the implementation of the mandate, including military and political assessments of the situation on the ground and their implications for the size, structure and deployment of UNTAET. The report covers developments in the political transition and, since its publication, there have been a number of developments which I would like to recall briefly. Under the provisions of the UNTAET regulation on the election of the Constituent Assembly, the Secretary-General has appointed the Commissioners of the Independent Electoral Commission and five political parties to date have applied for registration to participate in the election. As of today, UNTAET'S Civil Registration Unit has registered some 390,000 East Timorese for the elections.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“Mr. Annabi: It is with a deep sense of humility that I take the floor today because, however much we try to learn and know about the situation in East Timor, we will never know as much as our colleagues from East Timor. That is why I am particularly please that Xanana Gusmao and Jose Ramos-Horta have joined us this morning and that they will have the opportunity to brief the Council themselves on how they see the situation in East Timor. Members of the Council have before them the report of the Secretary-General of 2 May, submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 1338 (2001) of 31 January. By that resolution, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) until 31 January next year.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“As regards the second question, related to the cost estimates for logistical support for the work of the Boundary Commission, I think that Mr. Guehenno indicated this morning that a team from the Cartographic Section, assisted by logistical experts who are on the ground right now, is looking at the requirements. That team will return by the end of the month with, we hope, an evaluation of the logistical support that will be required. Council members will, of course, be informed in due course of those estimates. I think those were the only two questions.”
2001-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4310 (2001) · source
“In our minds, it is clear that in order to patrol the Temporary Security Zone and to be able to reassure both sides that nothing unusual is happening in the area, we need to be able to see beyond the limits of the Temporary Security Zone itself. For operational purposes, the Force Commander has indicated to the parties that we would need to go some 15 kilometres beyond the limits of the Zone to establish contacts with the authorities on both sides and discuss whatever practical problems may have arisen in the area of operation. This is not always well understood by the local commanders, and we are continuing to discuss this with the parties. We hope, as I said, that they will work with us in accordance with their own undertakings and the Agreement of 18 June last.”
2001-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4310 (2001) · source
“Some of those restrictions are due to an incorrect understanding of the orders received by local commanders on the ground, or misunderstandings about these instructions. Some of them are deliberate. There are occasions when one or the other of the parties may not wish us to see its positions, but these situations are, as I said, being addressed on a case-by-case basis. We remind the parties on every occasion of their commitment under the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, concluded on 18 June last, under which they both agreed to provide unrestricted freedom of movement to UNMEE, as required for its operations. There may also be some misunderstanding as to the exact operational requirements of UNMEE.”
2001-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4310 (2001) · source
“Mr. Annabi: Mr. Guehenno regrets that he cannot be here this afternoon, as he has just left for the airport. He will be visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). I think that there were essentially two questions. The first relates to freedom of movement. As Mr. Guehenno indicated this morning, restrictions on the freedom of movement of the personnel of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) continue to occur from time to time. Those restrictions are, of course, taken up on a case-by-case basis with the military and, if necessary, with the political authorities on both sides.”
2001-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4310 (2001) · source
“Mr. Annabi: I must confess that I do not have detailed information on that, but we will try to get it and get back to the Council at an appropriate opportunity. What I can say is that it is striking to hear from people in East Timor, especially from Timorese women, that domestic violence is at a fairly high level in East Timor. It is also one of the main concerns of our colleagues in the Department of Justice and of their Timorese counterparts. This is a serious problem which will need to be addressed and to which some efforts will need to be devoted.”
2001-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4308 (2001) · source
“The detailed planning can take place only on the ground, but what we see as an important role for the integrated task force here is the discussion of what we might call the "macro picture" - in other words, who will do what after independence and to what extent the other agencies of the system and the international financial institutions can pick up some of the activities, even if some of them are already telling us that, when it comes to providing the actual line managers who would continue to be required in the Timorese administration, they may have difficulties in that area, since they rely on voluntary contributions that, for some, are not forthcoming, at least at this point.”
2001-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4308 (2001) · source
“In fact, Sergio Vieira de Mello has requested us to try and send some planners or some of the members of that task force so that they can provide assistance to the work that is taking place on the ground.”
2001-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4308 (2001) · source
“On the planning for post-independence, as I indicated, a working group has been established by Sergio Vieira de Mello on the ground that is looking in great detail, with the participation of other United Nations agencies and the financial institutions, at the level of assistance that will be required to the administration after independence. Our colleagues in the military and police component are also looking at what will be required as part of this exercise on the ground. We here, as I said, are looking at the establishment of an integrated mission task force. We need to identify the right people for that and we will devise a system to enable our team here and the team that is working on the ground to interact.”
2001-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4308 (2001) · source
“The level of actual disbursement by the World Bank has reached $30 million and a number of other projects, which I do not have at my fingertips right now, are coming on-stream. Efforts will continue to be made, but this is going to be a challenge in the medium and long term. Let us remember that everything was destroyed and we are starting from an extremely weak base. Efforts by the international community to provide economic and financial assistance to East Timor will need to continue well beyond independence, even if there are prospects after 2004 for revenues from the resources in the Timor Gap. Since I am on the Timor Gap, I wish to confirm that negotiations are indeed taking place right now. Once we have a report on the outcome of those discussions, we will share it with the Security Council.”
2001-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4308 (2001) · source
“The economic situation and the level of unemployment obviously remain a concern. I think that the level of unemployment is still around 80 per cent. The economic situation is compounded to some extent by the fact that a lot of people have left the rural areas and districts to gather in Dili or in other cities, which exacerbates the difficulties. East Timor is traditionally very much a rural territory and the Asian Development Bank, with the support of Mari Alkatari, the Minister for Economic Affairs in the Cabinet, has a project to encourage return to the rural areas by farmers so that they can take up farming activities again. The World Bank is also pursuing a number of projects.”
2001-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4308 (2001) · source
“I think our colleagues on the ground and their Timorese counterparts are looking more and more at a date for independence that would be in the first quarter of next year. After that, obviously, as Ambassador Greenstock has stressed - and we fully share that assessment - there will be a need for considerable assistance if we are not to jeopardize the considerable investment that has been made by the international community to create a sustainable Timorese administration. I wish to make a clarification on a point made by Ambassador Mahbubani. Mr. Ramos-Horta is not the Chairman of the National Council. He has been appointed by Sergio Vieira de Mello as a member of the National Council to replace Xanana Gusmao. The election of the Chairman belongs to the National Council and that election is expected to take place either this week or next.”
2001-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4308 (2001) · source
“That is not the wish of the Timorese, and the electoral regulation adopted with their support foresees that the elections will be held on 30 August, unless there are such delays that it becomes technically impossible by that date to hold elections that are acceptable by international standards. But otherwise, they will take place, hopefully by 30 August. With regard to the exit strategy after that, hopefully the Constituent Assembly will meet by 15 December and, hopefully, within 90 days it will agree on a constitution that brings us to 15 December, which means that previous talk about a possible independence date by the end of this year is somewhat overtaken by these practical considerations.”
2001-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4308 (2001) · source
“But there is a request for $3.5 million to finance a United Nations Development Programme project which is intended to help support voter education, capacity-building and the work of the national monitors. Incidentally, the organization of the whole electoral process is being approached very much from the capacity-building angle, so that, hopefully, in the process of the elections, an East Timorese capacity will be developed so that they can run future elections. They will be involved and trained as much as possible so that that capacity is developed. Can the elections be postponed until all the refugees are back? I am afraid the answer is no.”
2001-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4308 (2001) · source
“That is what has been deemed, at least for the time being, as reasonable and sustainable in the current conditions of the economy of East Timor. So consideration is being given to the possibility of encouraging members of the diaspora to return and to contribute to the Transitional Administration by giving them subsidies - at least for the short term. But in the long run it will be a difficult problem, as we have seen in other situations, in Cambodia and elsewhere. There was also a question - I think from our colleague from Colombia on behalf of Brazil - which related to the kind of assistance that may be required for the preparation of the elections. Of course, the participation of international personnel will be financed by the assessed budget.”
2001-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4308 (2001) · source
“Mr. Annabi: First, I think there were one or two questions that I missed last time I took the floor. One related to the efforts made to try to encourage members of the diaspora to come back. Efforts are being made. Consideration is being given by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) and the East Timor Transitional Administration to perhaps encourage that return by providing subsidies to those who might be interested in returning, at least for the short term. One of the problems, of course, is that the level of salaries that members of the diaspora get is way above what they would get in East Timor. As the Council knows, the current salary scale in East Timor has seven levels, with monthly salaries going from $85 at the first level to $361 at the seventh.”
2001-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4308 (2001) · source