YouSaid · the spoken record

Ramos-Horta

lines on the record: 288
first: 2001-01-26
most recent: 2017-09-20
sittings or episodes: 16
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

“Their presence throughout the election process in July and August, in particular on the day of the election, 30 August last year, was very illustrative of the successful preparation of the East Timor Police Service. However, this is also the case with the East Timor Defence Force. The East Timorese people are very proud of the fact that today we have a battalion that was competently and professionally trained by Portugal and Australia, with significant contributions from New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the United States. Recently, the naval component of our Defence Force took possession of two modified Albatross patrol boats donated by Portugal. We do not intend, obviously, to have a navy. The need for these boats is very clear.”
2002-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4462 (2002) · source
“Perhaps this increase actually reflects the higher rate at which such crimes are now reported in the police and justice system, and that domestic violence had existed previously but had gone unreported. With a dynamic press in East Timor today, with institutions and with more trust in the police and justice system, women are coming forward to report cases of violence. We will work hard in the coming days, weeks and months to eradicate this shameful aspect of our reality in East Timor. We are very pleased at some developments in the preparation of our police force. There are now 1,400 trained police officers deployed all over East Timor.”
2002-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4462 (2002) · source
“In a recent conversation, the Police Commissioner of East Timor reported that throughout 2001 there were only four reported cases of murder, none of which was politically motivated. This is in a country where unemployment is very high and poverty is rampant - a country still recovering from the trauma of past violence. However, one area that is not encouraging is that of domestic violence, in particular against women. East Timorese leaders are puzzled that our society was able to conduct itself with great civility during the election process in July and August, without a single violent incident, and that the crime rate is among the world's lowest, while the rate of domestic violence is surprisingly high.”
2002-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4462 (2002) · source
“The process of designing a blueprint for the economic development of East Timor is quite a unique experiment in our country. It is probably one of the few exercises in national planning and development in which civil society, represented by the churches, non- governmental organizations and intellectuals, have the opportunity, together with the Government, to reflect on the priorities and needs of the country before such a development plan is approved and implemented. That is what we are trying to do in East Timor. The process is a partnership between the United Nations, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the East Timorese Government and a civil society commission, led by Mr. Xanana Gusmao himself. As I mentioned earlier, the rate of reported crime in East Timor continues to be among the lowest in the world.”
2002-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4462 (2002) · source
“Credit for this is due partly to the Indonesian authorities, who have taken a firmer stand in disarming the militias and also in encouraging and supporting the return of the refugees to East Timor. Because Sergio Vieira de Mello made such a comprehensive statement, I believe that most of the content of the speech I had prepared has already been covered. Therefore, I will share informally with the Council some of my personal observations on the situation in East Timor. First, I would like to respond to a comment by the representative of the United Kingdom. We take it that what he suggested is that the development plan we are trying to put in place be made available to the donor countries in a timely manner, before the donors conference. We will do our best to see that each donor country has the document well in advance of the conference.”
2002-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4462 (2002) · source
“We have a particular admiration for the way Mauritius has succeeded in building its economy and a multi- ethnic society into a prosperous country. Mauritius has managed to develop its economy from one based largely on agriculture to a healthy, middle-income, diversified economy with growing industrial, financial and tourism sectors. I hope that East Timor will be able to follow that example. Perhaps with Mauritius's help, we will succeed in doing so. Since I last addressed the Council, much has happened in East Timor. I can only add that we can verify positive news in many sectors, notably in the security sector. As Sergio Vieira de Mello reported, there have been hardly any incidents along the border between East and West Timor; the last reported incident occurred in June last year.”
2002-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4462 (2002) · source
“We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello and to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Ireland, Ms. Liz O'Donnell, for their presence. We wish to ask the delegation of Ireland to convey to the Minister our sincere appreciation, and to ask the Australian delegation to convey to the Prime Minister our most sincere appreciation, for their presence. In addition, we bring to the members of the Council the warmest greetings of Mr. Xanana Gusmao; Mr. Mari Alkatiri, Chief Minister; and the two Bishops of East Timor, Monsignors Carlos Belo and Basilio do Nascimento. I would like to express to you, Mr. President, our special appreciation for your country's role over the years in support of our struggle for self-determination.”
2002-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4462 (2002) · source
“Mr. Ramos-Horta: I am very grateful for the opportunity to share once again with the members of the Council our views on the situation in East Timor. Before proceeding further, I would also like to note and express my sincere appreciation for the presence at the meeting this morning of the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard. His presence here underlines Australia's commitment not only to the United Nations and international cooperation, but also, and in particular, to the people of East Timor. The Australian Government and people have been very generous and committed in a multidimensional way to the well-being of East Timor, providing for their needs with regard to security, economic well-being, reconstruction and so on. We are very touched that the Prime Minister of Australia took the time to be here this morning.”
2002-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4462 (2002) · source
“We hope that next year we will all be able to return here, and the elected President, Prime Minister or Foreign Minister will return to this Council and thank members once again for the tremendous support and generosity that has been shown by the Council, the Secretary-General, the agencies, the donor countries in general and civil society.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“However, any consideration of hasty withdrawal soon after independence could undermine what has been achieved at such great cost, in terms of financial resources and in terms of lives, because the East Timorese made such a great sacrifice and sacrificed many lives to achieve what we have achieved so far. For this reason, I end with an appeal to the members of the Security Council and the donor community to support the recommendations of the Secretary-General's report regarding the civilian component and the recommendations for a prudent, cautious downsizing of the military component after independence.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“We have no interest or desire to have the indefinite presence of a foreign force in East Timor, as professional as they are, as welcoming as they are, as well behaved as they have been so far. It is the nature of a society and a country to want to be masters of their own destiny. We do not wish to impose on the international community an indefinite presence of the peacekeeping forces on the ground nor of civilian personnel. However, peace is still fragile although the process has been extraordinarily successful due to the leadership of the Secretary-General and due to the Special Representative. What the United Nations has achieved in East Timor in partnership with the donor countries has been unique.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“We look forward to the time when East Timor and the Indonesian province of Nusa Tenggara Timur, the territory of West Timor in particular, can develop a partnership to eradicate poverty, malaria, tuberculosis and other ills. To achieve this, it is necessary that the Government in East Timor and the Government in Jakarta reach a stage where we really trust each other and act with transparency. I conclude by emphasizing that we are conscious of the need for the United Nations to downsize the military component of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor. We are also conscious of the need to downsize the civilian component in East Timor. After all, this is in our interest.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“Peace is fragile also because as long as armed elements continue to operate in West Timor, the people of East Timor will continue to live in fear of what will happen in the post-independence period. The incident involving an Indonesian soldier who apparently strayed into East Timor and was shot dead by vigilant New Zealand forces only underscored the need for the two sides to continue to cooperate even more closely to rid the entire region of weapons and violence along the border. On the East Timorese side, we very much look forward to working with the new President and the new Government of Indonesia; we send them our warmest greetings. In the last few days, the Indonesian people have shown extraordinary maturity in accepting the changes peacefully. We are continuing our efforts to engage the new Administration in Indonesia in dialogue.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“If everything goes well, we will be able to announce here when East Timor will be independent. The decision will be made by the Constituent Assembly in consultation with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. We hope we will be able to keep to the initial calendar previously drawn up, and the date will be sometime early next year. Presidential elections should take place immediately after the adoption of the constitution, and independence would occur sometime early next year. However, in spite of the positive note I am trying to convey, which is a reflection of the reality in the country, it is also important to remember that peace in East Timor is still very fragile, because of 25 years of trauma, of people living in a culture of violence and fear. It is not easy to erase this state of mind after 25 years of violence.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“In this regard, I would like to inform the Council that we are continuing discussions with the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, Sergio Vieira de Mello, Timorese compatriots and donor countries to set up a strategic development task force that would look at long-term development in East Timor. In this regard, we are receiving concrete assistance from the Government of Malaysia, which will provide a senior official from the Office of the Prime Minister, dealing with economic development, to assist us in developing a strategic framework for the development of East Timor in the medium and long term. In December, we hope to present to the donor conference in Oslo a preliminary vision of the economic outlook for East Timor in the years to come.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“Only our ability to create a web of relations and interests with the countries of the region will ensure that East Timor will be able to continue to develop peacefully in the years to come. As Sergio Vieira de Mello has just mentioned, we have recently concluded an interim arrangement, a framework agreement with Australia, governing the sharing of revenue from oil and gas in the Timor Sea. The successful conclusion of the discussions on the Timor Sea is also a tribute to the maturity and the sense of responsibility of the two sides, East Timor and Australia. As Sergio Vieira de Mello mentioned, and as has been our concern, we nevertheless hope that we will be able to develop alternative sources of wealth for East Timor in order to prevent East Timor from becoming dependent on only one or two commodities, such as oil and gas.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“Preparations are under way for Xanana Gusmao again to travel to the border region and maybe to West Timor itself to continue the dialogue with not only the authorities in West Timor, but also our own people who are still in the camps in West Timor. We have just arrived from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial meeting in Hanoi, to which we had been invited by the host country, Viet Nam. Once again, we reiterated to our neighbours, particularly ASEAN countries, but also to others - the dialogue partners such as China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the United States - our continued commitment to develop relations with the region, including with Indonesia, because we believe that a strong, dynamic and creative relationship with the region will be our best defence.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“We commend the efforts of the Indonesian military commander in the Bali region, particularly in West Timor, General Willem da Costa, under whom, since he took over the operational leadership in West Timor, the situation has improved. We have also pursued efforts at dialogue with the pro-autonomy and the pro-integration faction in East Timorese society. There were successful meetings at the end of May in East Timor, involving almost 100 people, of whom about 50 came from West Timor and elsewhere in Indonesia. President Xanana Gusmao has travelled to the border region and engaged some militia leaders and political elements from the other side in dialogue. Bishop Basilio Nascimento, the head of the Diocese of Baucau, also had a very successful visit to West Timor, where he was received by thousands of people.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“We regret an incident that happened only yesterday with the fatal shooting of an Indonesian soldier, who was armed but in civilian clothes. The exact circumstances and exact location of the incident have not yet been determined. I received this information only this morning from my office in Dili. Apart from these incidents, however, the situation throughout the border region has been relatively quiet and safe. This is a tribute not only to the professionalism of the peacekeeping forces but also to the successful efforts of the United Nations itself, through Sergio Vieira de Mello and the head of the peacekeeping forces, to engage the Indonesian side in dialogue.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“In the first week of July, witnessed by Sergio Vieira de Mello, the two Bishops of East Timor, Xanana Gusmao and myself, and with His Holiness the Pope having sent a message, the East Timorese political parties signed a pact of national unity committing themselves to accepting non-violence as a norm and the results of the 30 August elections, regardless of the outcome for each of them. So far, they have been true to the commitment that they have made. Political campaigning has started throughout the country, with thousands of people participating, yet there has not been a single case of violence among the political parties. The border region itself has been relatively quiet despite occasional incidents.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“This June we dissolved the National Council of Timorese Resistance. In the history of decolonization, this must be quite a unique experiment. Never before in the history of decolonization had a coalition movement dissolved itself to allow its members to create a multi- party society and system. There was some concern and fear that with the dissolution of the National Council of Timorese Resistance - the umbrella body that led the people of East Timor towards independence and, in particular, mobilized and organized the people for the 30 August 1999 referendum - there would be violence. Yet the transition from the National Council of Timorese Resistance to a multi-party system has been going very smoothly.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“Two years after the historic referendum, on 30 August, the people of East Timor will again go to the polls and, for the first time ever in our 500-year history, will vote to elect deputies for a Constituent Assembly, who will draft a constitution setting the legal framework for the declaration of independence and the election of a President. We have assured the Council throughout our engagement with it, in the discussions, that - beyond the efforts of the peacekeeping forces, which have done an outstanding job in protecting the borders of East Timor and providing safety and tranquillity to the people throughout the districts ~ we on the East Timorese side itself will do our utmost to cooperate with the international community in ensuring peace and tranquillity for ourselves.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“We have come a long way since the International Force in East Timor (INTERFET) first landed in the country. I do not want to go through again what we have already said and what Sergio Vieira de Mello has already so eloquently stated in his speech about what the international community found in East Timor and the difficulties, the destruction, the despair, the loss of lives, the dislocation of people - more than one third of the people have been uprooted and taken to West Timor and elsewhere in Indonesia - and what we have achieved so far.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“Mr. Ramos-Horta: I would like to take this occasion to tell you, Sir, how privileged and pleased we feel that this meeting is taking place today, still under your presidency. I would also like to express my most sincere appreciation to the previous Presidents of the Council, particularly during the month of January, when we had the first meeting of the year on this subject, and in May, when President Xanana Gusmao and I addressed the Council under the United States presidency. Allow me to congratulate you, Mr. President, your Government and your people on your successful bid to host the Olympic Games in 2008. I hope that by then the East Timorese will be worthy competitors in Beijing and will be able to take some medals away from the Chinese athletes.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351 (2001) · source
“We have produced almost a miracle in a year and half. The task ahead is still great, but with the Council's continued engagement, as President Xanana Gusmao said a while ago, we hope to return here in different circumstances to thank the Council as a sovereign State and to say that we did not waste or betray your trust or the resources that you have put into building this new democratic State.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The crucial question that has been asked is whether we are going to be able to handle the debate and the divisions in a civilized way. We are, of course, working hard to answer that. I cannot say that we will succeed 100 per cent, but we are working towards that goal, so that the divisions, the conflicts and the debate remain in the realm of civility. I thank you, Mr. President, members of the Security Council and the rest of the international community present today, as well as others that are not present, for your continued support. It is thanks to your generous support and thanks to the generosity of the soldiers of the peacekeeping force, the civilian police, the international civil servants, the non-governmental organizations and the United Nations Volunteers who are there that we have come this far.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“To me it seemed no different from the many experiences I had had in attending as a guest many parliaments around the world - the United States Congress, the Portuguese Parliament, the Italian Parliament, the British Parliament and a few others that we do not attend but watch on television. The National Council has been very constructive. It has adopted numerous regulations, and it takes its job seriously. Assistant Secretary-General Annabi also experienced the National Council in his recent visit to East Timor. I do not know whether he wishes to repeat that experience. I also do not think I will readily accept returning to the Council to participate in debates there unless it is absolutely necessary. However, it illustrates the positive developments in East Timor.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“President Xanana Gusmao, in the time he spent in the Council - he went to the Council against my advice because he wanted to go - experienced a bit of the new climate of democracy in East Timor. When Xanana Gusmao resigned I stepped in and offered to lead the Council. Most of the Council members spoke against my leaving foreign affairs, and the next day I had to go back to foreign affairs because the Council members showed their maturity and their understanding of the importance of foreign affairs for East Timor. They said, "This is not your place", so I dutifully presented my resignation to Sergio Vieira de Mello. I essentially lasted only 24 hours in the National Council. That was my first experience in the National Council and I began to wonder why the Council was being criticized.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The first weapons used then were not Indonesian weapons. The first people killed in East Timor were not killed by Indonesian soldiers. Therefore, we must also have the courage and the humility to search back into our own history and to apologize to our own people. Only then can we have the moral authority and the tranquillity of mind and of conscience to demand real justice from others. This, then, is the task of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that has been set up and is broadly representative of the Timorese society. I conclude by referring also to the political divisions in East Timor. This is what the United Nations, Peter Galbraith and all diplomatic missions tell us: multi-party; that we have to have freedom of expression; and that our National Council has to take it seriously.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“We are conscious of the fragility of the peace in East Timor. Peace and tranquillity is a reality, but, as we have said a number of times, it is still very fragile because of all the psychological and emotional aspects. In terms ofjustice, I failed to add in my previous comments that we have established a regulation creating a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. However, a new aspect of this Truth and Reconciliation Commission is that we intend to go back all the way to 1975, because, as I personally have stated on a number of occasions over the years, as has President Xanana Gusmao, we, the East Timorese side, cannot blame only Indonesia for what happened in 1975 and thereafter. The first acts of violence and the first resort to weapons in 1975 were by us, the East Timorese, starting with the civil war in August 1975.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“But to answer that, what I said earlier is that we are putting even greater efforts into the process of not only reconciliation between the pro-independence majority and the pro-autonomy group, but we - Bishop Belo and I - are also starting, with the support of Xanana Gusmao and Sergio Vieira de Mello, a comprehensive campaign extending many months into the future to promote a culture of non-violence, of tolerance. In this regard, we have discussed with the United Nations Children's Fund and the diplomatic missions in Dili how they can assist us by providing resources. It is difficult to address the issues of a culture of violence, of a people traumatized and accustomed to abuse by State law enforcement agencies for a quarter of a century, and it is difficult to suddenly drop the temptation to engage in violence.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Unfortunately, when violence starts, it sometimes takes on a political dimension when each faction calls on its own gangs, its own people. So I would say that this has essentially been the cause of 90 per cent of the violence that has occurred in East Timor. Fortunately, so far the political violence has been confined to one or two incidents. Are we going to be able to maintain a relative level of peace and stability in the months ahead when, of course, political tensions will increase? That is a big question.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“I personally went to Baucau to meet with the youths who burned the mosque to tell them that that was not enough in terms of our contribution - that we were not merely going to pay for it, but that they had to show their repentance by contributing manually to rebuilding the mosque, a condition which they accepted. That is what we did. There was also an ugly incident in Viqueque that involved youth groups, in particular groups involved in martial arts. Strangely enough, many of the conflicts erupt after a soccer match - perhaps our youths watch too many European soccer matches. They are inspired by activities on the soccer field, and it is almost inevitable that after each soccer match the losing side does not accept the result.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The most serious incident took place in Baucau, when a fight between youth groups resulted in the burning of the local mosque. The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) and the East Timorese leadership condemned that action, and subsequently Sergio Vieira de Mello took the initiative of mobilizing funds to repair the mosque. The Portuguese Commissioner responsible for humanitarian assistance to East Timor, Father Victor Melicias, accompanied by the most prominent Muslim leader in the city of Lisbon, travelled to East Timor and offered financial assistance. Subsequently, we all met with the Muslim leaders in Dili and Baucau.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“I speak with direct knowledge of the facts, because I was called upon in almost every one of them to go and talk with those involved in the incidents and help resolve the problems. To my surprise, contrary to the rumours that first began to spread after the incident at the New Year, it started essentially when a group of youths attempting to enter a New Year's party were barred - they had not been invited. They began to throw stones at those at the party, and the situation degenerated into Violence. Another incident involved a mosque. A group of drunken youths on their way home saw a car inside the grounds of a mosque. They entered and asked for the car, and, of course, the people in the mosque said, "No". The youths then left and began throwing stones, and stones soon began flying in both directions.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Mr. Ramos-Horta: Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the floor again. I will not add much to what the Assistant Secretary-General, Mr. Annabi, has already said in terms of clarification. I would like to make just two points, the first in relation to the political atmosphere - the political divisions and tensions - and the second in relation to our own efforts at reconciliation, adding to what I said earlier. First, I would like to say that we take seriously the concerns expressed here by almost everyone regarding the political tensions and divisions. However, of the several incidents that took place in the course of 2000 and in the first few months of this year, we would consider only two to be politically related.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321Resumption1 (2001) · source
“In this regard, I will conclude by saying that the Serious Crimes Unit of the Untied Nations in East Timor must be supported and strengthened so that it can continue the extraordinary work that it has already begun. At the same time, the Indonesian authorities must not be allowed to forget the pledges they have made, to us to and to the members of the Council, that the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity in East Timor will be brought to trial.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“Any East Timorese can say, "I want East Timor to be part of Tasmania", or "East Timor should be part of Alaska." It is their right, as long as no crime, no violence, is perpetrated to achieve those goals. This is the message we have conveyed to the pro-autonomy elements: reconciliation, yes, but we cannot overlook crime and disregard justice. In this regard, the Timorese side will continue to work with out brothers and sisters from the other side in continuing the process of reconciliation. A week from now a large group of pro-autonomy elements will be travelling to Timor for a meeting with us. This will be the fifth, sixth or seventh meeting we have had in different locations and at different levels. But the issue ofjustice remains a responsibility of the international community.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“The calendar can be implemented as promised. I turn to the subject of our own responsibilities, what the East Timorese themselves will do, together with the United Nations, to ensure internal peace in East Timor. In terms of external security and other aspects of security, including internal, we rely on the peacekeeping force, the civilian police and the institutions of law and order that have been created. But there is also the process of reconciliation. That is our responsibility, and we can assure the Council that we are continuing to work hard on this front with those who in the past favoured autonomy within Indonesia. We have stated to them that voting for autonomy, holding those views, does not constitute a crime.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“That is to say that as much as we understand that East Timor is not, unfortunately, the only conflict in the world demanding the Council's attention, it is an area where the Council has made serious investments in resources and time and where there is a real promise of success, for the good name of the international community, for each of you and, certainly more importantly, for the people of East Timor. Therefore we ask you to continue to insure that whatever consideration you will give in terms of downsizing the peacekeeping force in East Timor, it must also be conditioned by developments on the security front. We are conscious that we must intensify, obviously, the process of Timorization and capacity- building so that independence will take place, as we have promised, in the first three months of next year. So far, so good.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“There were ups and downs, frustrations and disappointments, but that is very natural in such a complex process, particularly when we bear in mind where we were in September 1999. Looking at where we are today, we see that dramatic progress has been made in every sector. Much more remains to be done. For progress to continue, as President Gusmao has stated, there has to be a positive, continuing signal on the part of the international community of its engagement with East Timor. There are two pillars of the whole United Nations mission in East Timor. First, the security pillar.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“I would even dare to hope that in two months a new agreement should be signed to enable the investors to begin to draw up the contracts for pipelines to bring the gas from the Timor Sea to the Northern Territory of Australia. The win-win theory suggests that the two sides emerge from the negotiation process happy. Maybe the two sides might not come out entirely happy, but neither side is angry or disappointed. Australia is a close friend and neighbour, a strategic partner of East Timor, and we believe it is in our common interest to reach an agreement sooner for the benefit of the Northern Territory of Australia and particularly for the people of East Timor, who need those revenues. The Council has made a considerable investment to bring this process to the point where we are today.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“The people in West Timor rightly resent the fact that the international community always pays more attention to East Timor than to them in terms of their economic well-being. We have discussed this vision with Indonesian authorities, with President Abdurrahman Wahid and Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab. But as long as West Timor remains a very unstable region on our own border - instead of conditions being created for West Timor to attract international investors in order to reduce unemployment there ~ we see that the realization of this vision, this dream, is almost impossible. As the Assistant Secretary-General has mentioned, the negotiations for a new revenue-sharing agreement on the resources of the Timor Gap area, oil and gas, are now proceeding at a faster pace, and very positively.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“What is tragic is that on our part we have explained to the Council and to the Indonesian authorities our vision of peace, of friendship with the Republic of Indonesia, in particular with the province which is our neighbour, West Timor. If the militias were to be disarmed, as has been promised; if West Timor ceased to be a base of instability and aggression against peacekeeping forces and East Timor, we would create the conditions for East Timor - the independent East Timor - and in particular West Timor, to develop relations whereby we could have free trade across the border and free movement of people; where we could develop joint strategies for the eradication of malaria and for reducing poverty. West Timor - even though it has not faced a war for the 50 years since Indonesian independence- is even poorer than East Timor.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“We hope that we have not heard the last of this from the Indonesian side. I would also elaborate briefly on the question of the reported violence in East Timor. As President Xanana Gusmao has indicated, we have to make two distinctions. First there is the situation along the border, with sporadic incursions from West Timor into the areas protected by the peacekeeping forces- Australia, New Zealand, Nepal and others. Unfortunately, this happens in contravention of so many pledges we have received from the Indonesian side with regard to disarming and dismantling the militias to enable the refugees - as long as they are unprotected refugees - to be there without fear. Yet the militias continue to control the camps. Assistant Secretary-General Annabi has referred to the continuing presence of rape victims, who are unprotected.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“It was therefore with profound sadness and shock that we heard of the sentence handed down to the confessed assassins of three international humanitarian workers - 10 to 20 months for those who committed a crime and vaunted their pride in doing it. How can we, as human beings with a conscience, react as if nothing really serious had happened? Can we continue to place that trust and confidence in the system that has produced this verdict? We are outraged, like the rest of the international community, and it really discouraged all of us, including the people of East Timor, regarding the direction the Indonesian justice system is taking in regard to other serious crimes committed in the course of 1999 by senior Indonesian military officers and East Timorese under the responsibility of the Indonesian army.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“I would also like to add some comments on the verdict handed down on the assassins of the three workers from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). But before that I would like to remind the Council of our efforts, which have been known to you for many months - over a year - to seek to understand the difficulties which the democratically elected Government of Indonesia faces. As you know, time and again we have stated, in agreement with the position taken by the Secretary- General, that we should allow time, we should trust the Indonesian legal system to bring to justice the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity. We have expressed our trust and confidence in the integrity of the Attorney General, our friend Marzuki Daruzman.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“We have had discussions with all political parties in East Timor, and we are in the process now of drafting a comprehensive document that would contain important elements such as commitment to democracy, tolerance, non-violence, respect for ethnic and religious minorities and compliance with international standards of human rights and the rule of law. But that document would also bind all political parties, regardless of the election results of 30 August and the composition of the Government, to honour existing international agreements. These would be signed by all parties in East Timor and would be witnessed by the two Catholic Bishops of East Timor and Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello. This would send a reassuring message to our people and to the international community.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“It was our plan all along, from the very beginning, to downsize the CNRT itself as the East Timor Transitional Administration takes shape, so as not to have a parallel and competitive institution. We believe that in June it will be time for the CNRT to be disbanded so that the parties can prepare much more effectively for the elections for the Constituent Assembly, which we hope will take place on 30 August. After its dissolution the CNRT will be replaced by an even more encompassing and important instrument: the national pact.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“Mr. Ramos-Horta: Congratulations, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency for this month. I apologize for not having a written contribution. I will just add some comments to what President Xanana Gusmao has just stated. The first comment I would like to make is that by June we will have dissolved the National Council of Timorese Resistance (CNRT), an umbrella organization that was Vital for many years in our struggle to bring together all East Timorese groups for one common goal. It was under that particular umbrella and that flag that we went to the polls on 30 August 1999. But as the political process unfolds, it is also time for us to give space to and encourage the multi-party system: plurality.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source