YouSaid · the spoken record

Wensley

lines on the record: 215
first: 1998-06-06
most recent: 2001-07-30
sittings or episodes: 19
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

“Of course, many measures that may seem simple to implement in stable communities are far more difficult in zones of conflict. Absence of effective central Government control or military command has been a feature of a number of recent, and current, conflicts in which United Nations and humanitarian personnel have been threatened or killed. The nature of international peacekeeping, much of which now has a large humanitarian component, blurs the distinction between enforcement action and humanitarian work. To minimize these risks, the Security Council should ensure that appropriate plans are in place as part of peacekeeping operations to ensure the proper protection of humanitarian personnel.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Practical measures can be taken by Governments to promote understanding and observance of international humanitarian law within their own communities, especially among military and security forces, but also among civilian populations, including by disseminating information about international humanitarian law. It is a coincidence, but today there is an important seminar taking place on this very subject elsewhere in New York, emphasizing that United Nations and humanitarian workers must also be properly trained about their responsibilities. Building a spirit of partnership between international personnel and local governments and communities can also be a particularly crucial ingredient in averting tensions and threats.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“One of the reasons that Pratt, Wallace and Jelen got into trouble was that they were carrying sophisticated equipment that international humanitarian agencies use today as a matter of course - sophisticated maps, sophisticated wireless, sophisticated systems - that made them objects of suspicion. I think that is one of the lessons we should be drawing and thinking about as we move forward in this debate. Governments must also denounce - and denounce strongly - attacks against United Nations personnel and humanitarian workers and take all measures to bring perpetrators of violence to justice. Impunity, as so many of my colleagues have emphasized in this discussion, cannot be allowed.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Responsibility for ensuring the safety of United Nations and humanitarian personnel rests, first and foremost, with Governments within whose jurisdiction humanitarian activities are taking place. Governments should recognize and respect the independence and the impartiality of United Nations personnel and humanitarian workers and allow them to operate without threat or hindrance. States must guarantee immunity and protection, according to the law, and provide whatever physical protection and assistance possible. In this respect, States perhaps need to be well informed about the realities of contemporary aid workers.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“While their capture and imprisonment must have disturbed all humanitarian workers around the world - and must indeed have deterred some from taking up this calling - many others must at the same time have drawn reassurance from the determination and the perseverance with which the United Nations and the international community fought for these men's release. I have talked a little bit about this because I think it is important to put a practical face on the rhetoric of our discussions. It is just one of many cases that underline the seriousness of the issue and, above all, the need for concerted effort by the international community to strengthen the protection of United Nations and humanitarian personnel. It is a challenge that we think should be tackled through a combination of measures.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“But their release came about only as a result of protracted diplomatic activity and pressure. I would like to take this opportunity publicly to record Australia's gratitude to the Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary-General and many of their colleagues in the United Nations - particularly in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) - for their unflagging support, practical and political, which was central to the effort to get Pratt, Wallace and Jelen released.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Steve Pratt, Peter Wallace and Branko Jelen spent a combined total of 19 months in prison on charges of espionage which the Australian Government and which CARE maintains were manifestly false. This was these men's reward for working under extraordinarily trying conditions to attend to the suffering of ordinary people all over Yugoslavia. They had left behind their families and their friends; they had taken on the risks and the hardships inherent in working in a conflict environment because they were committed to the principles and the goals of humanitarian assistance. They are representative of hundreds of thousands of individuals around the world committed to helping others. Those three are now in Australia, back with their families, and have begun new lives.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“As we have heard so frequently today, this last year has seen an alarming number of attacks on United Nations and humanitarian personnel. Australians have been among those who have suffered, and in two cases - most notably in Angola - have lost their lives. In Australia these casualties have created significant public interest in the issue that the Council is discussing today, as did another case, that of the three CARE Australia aid workers who were imprisoned in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. What happened to those three raised many disturbing questions and, we believe, merits very close examination for the lessons that might be drawn for the future, so as to help avoid the same thing happening to other humanitarian workers. I have not got time to go into the details; the case has been well documented.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“I would like to extend the Australian delegation's appreciation to you and to Argentina for bringing this issue before the Security Council. It continues the important debate begun a year ago under Canadian leadership on the related question of the protection of civilians in armed conflict. It is a deeply disturbing truth that United Nations personnel and humanitarian workers have increasingly become the targets of violence. It seems that the principles of neutrality and impartiality, the provisions of international humanitarian law and the emblems of the United Nations and of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent are simply no longer sufficient to assure the safety of international humanitarian workers and organizations.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“There have been a lot of calls here for people to be creative and committed, but I think that we have to be opportunistic and look at everything we are doing in this House and in this Organization to give reflection to the sort of concerns that have been expressed here, and that we should be consistent in what we say and do as Member States in addressing this epidemic and the threat that it represents to international stability and security.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“What I would hope, in picking up the challenge that Jeremy Greenstock laid down, and in asking what we are going to do to follow up and where is the follow-through, is that we will make an active and determined effort to examine how what we have said here as Member States is reflected in the decisions and the actions that we take elsewhere, whether it be in the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva or the Commission on the Status of Women - which is especially important in view of the vulnerability of women, to which so many people have referred - whether it be in the meetings of executive boards or in the decisions that are being made about resource allocation, in committees dealing with peacekeeping or in the preparations for the Millennium Summit.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“I make that point not just because I am the Chairman of the Fifth Committee, but because one of the problems with the United Nations is that we over-compartmentalize our work, and what Member States say and do in one forum and one part of this system does not necessarily flow through to their actions in other parts of the United Nations.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Donor countries need to sensitive, galvanize and mobilize our own communities in the support for AIDS, and this sort of debate has an enormously beneficial impact on helping us to sensitize our own communities, not just the international community. After all, democratic Governments are going to act only in response to pressures from their communities and from their electorates. The third point is that the Permanent Representative of Jamaica referred in her statement to peacekeeping. I hope that Member States will bear what she said in mind at the resumed session of the Fifth Committee in May and June, which focuses on peacekeeping finance.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“The second point is that I detected a certain impatience, perhaps, towards the end of the day, with a long list of speakers, a certain diminishing attention span, and I noted the comment by our colleague from the United Kingdom that just the very fact that we have had this debate was probably enough. And perhaps there has been some repetition. But from the viewpoint of non- members of the Council in particular, and of non-African Member States, there are two very valuable things about having a long list of speakers. First, it involves us in the business of the Council as non-members, and secondly, it is really important, not just that we are raising awareness here, but that Member States speak and can convey statements back to their own Governments.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“The focus of this discussion today is Africa, but AIDS is present in Australia and in our region, and we have very well- developed national and regional programmes at those levels that we would wish to share and to draw on, in consultation particularly with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. In that respect, references to the clearing house and the response that Peter Piot gave earlier in the day underline, I think, the importance of that concept's being developed and refined further, picking up on many of the points made in today's debate.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“We wish also to place particular focus in our strategies on youth and on mothers at risk of transmitting HIV to their children. One initiative that we have taken recently which may be of interest is to fund something called an "optimal feeding practices programme" to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission in southern Africa. I would like to make three final points that are not in my written statement but are in response to matters raised in the discussion today, which I have found extremely valuable. First, I have noticed a constant interest in best-practice lessons learned and in education and awareness-raising.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“In that respect, I have heard many speakers place emphasis on the value of research, and they have particularly emphasized the importance of medical research. But for our part we think that there is very important research that needs to be done in other areas and which should be maintained. The sort of thing I am thinking of is the kind of study that was done at the Australian National University by the demographics area, which was a 10-year study of AIDS in Africa. That produced very important data - things like studies of life expectancy in Zimbabwe, which has been reduced from the 50 years expected in the year 2000 to now 37 years. That sort of data is very important for us all to be factoring into our long-term planning to deal with the AIDS pandemic.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“We have committed ourselves to spending $10 million over four years to help fight HIV/AIDS in southern and eastern Africa in particular. Our HIV/AIDS programme in Africa targets rural communities and the more vulnerable members of society, including women and children. In implementing the programme, we are working very closely with the Governments of African countries, with multilateral agencies and especially with local non- governmental organizations - not something that I have heard a great deal about in today's discussion, but an aspect that we think is very important in the effective implementation of programmes. In our future bilateral projects, we will continue to seek to strengthen partner Governments' capacity to engage in long-term planning to address the social and economic impact of the epidemic.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Australia is extremely concerned about the continuing advance of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa and elsewhere. We associate ourselves fully with the South Pacific countries' statement to the Council. I have a prepared statement, which I will circulate. I wish simply to highlight several points. The priority that Australia accords the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa is reflected in our aid programme. Despite the fact that our international development effort is primarily directed towards the Asia and Pacific region, Africa does receive a high proportion of our global HIV/AIDS expenditure. As a relatively small donor in Africa, we will continue to direct a significant proportion of our overall aid to Africa towards HIV/AIDS and to do our best to play a supporting role in this area.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Like so many other forms of international cooperation, it also requires political will and a determination occasionally to confront sensitivities in the interests of effective collective action - rather than falling back on that earnest hand-wringing and ineffectual soul-searching described by the critical cartoonist. It is a challenge that we believe the Security Council can and must meet. In conclusion, I would like to express my delegation's appreciation to you, Mr. President, and to the Slovene delegation for taking this initiative. We believe this debate is a very valuable contribution.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“The United Nations Preventive Deployment Force demonstrated the effectiveness of preventive deployment. The effort that the United Nations and the international community are making in support of post-conflict peace-building in Kosovo and East Timor illustrates the importance of this part of an overall preventive approach - not just in response to humanitarian imperatives, but as a crucial tool, used deliberately in the prevention of recurrent conflict. We all acknowledge that these are not easy or straightforward prescriptions. The task of prevention is a complex and difficult one that requires persistent effort and vigilance.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“This is where initiatives such as the ARF Regional Security Outlook can make a practical contribution. We would very much like to see the capacities of the United Nations Secretariat strengthened in this regard, recognizing of course the resource pressures the Secretariat is under. And we would encourage the Secretary-General to make greater use of his authority under Article 99 of the Charter to bring to the attention of the Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security. I would note here that the Secretary- General himself, in his thoughtful opening remarks in this debate this afternoon, outlined a number of practical steps that the Council could take. The Security Council also has special responsibilities in the areas of preventive deployment and post-conflict peace-building.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“Such dialogue might take place here in New York or through special missions, such as the recent highly successful Council mission to Indonesia to discuss the situation in East Timor, which was led by Ambassador Andjaba of Namibia and in which you yourself, Mr. President, participated. Such contacts, we believe, can help ease tensions, can provide a very important circuit-breaker for a dispute or can clearly inform both sides of the risks of escalation and of the possible responses of the Council and of the international community should conflict ensue. These contacts can support and complement the good-offices role of the Secretary-General and of his special envoys and representatives. Effective early preventive action depends in part on the quality and timeliness of information about potential sources of conflict.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“The role of the Security Council is, self-evidently, a central one, in keeping with its authority under the Charter. It is a role that must itself build on and complement other international and regional mechanisms that contribute collectively to the prevention of conflict. It is an area in which Australia believes the Security Council can, and should, do more. Early warning is one area where the Council could play a stronger role. Early attention to potential conflicts not only enables better-informed judgements about preventive action, it can itself be a powerful moderating influence on the behaviour of potential combatants. We have argued before, including in the recent General Assembly debate on the report of the Security Council, that the Council should be ready more often to deal directly with the parties to a dispute.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“The ARF is also introducing a practical tool that is both an early-warning and a confidence-building measure. This is something called the annual Regional Security Outlook. The document will include voluntary contributions from ARF participants, identifying what they see as notable developments in the regional security situation and their perception of it. A number of speakers this afternoon, I have noted, have referred to the value of such early warning mechanisms. The work of the ARF in promoting peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region should of course - and I emphasize this - be seen as supporting and complementing global efforts to achieve the same goals. But there are circumstances where regional approaches may be more appropriate, and there are others where the United Nations may be better placed to act.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“It includes the principles of non-interference, peaceful methods, consent of the parties to a dispute, consistency with international law and of course timeliness. One challenge ahead is for the ARF to devise a good-offices mechanism that would be useful in reducing the likelihood of conflict, while remaining fully consistent with those principles. The responsibilities and functions of such a mechanism could include, for example, initiating contact with the parties in disputes where conflict is imminent; facilitating information exchange, exploring underlying issues and causes of conflict; fact-finding; facilitating contact and dialogue between the parties in neutral venues; mediation, conciliation and making recommendations to the parties; and contacting outside experts for advice.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“The work that the ARF is doing is still at a relatively early stage, but nonetheless it is relevant to this debate. There are two aspects to our work. The first is to develop a common understanding of the concept and the principles of preventive diplomacy as they might apply in the ARF context. The second is to explore the overlap between preventive diplomacy and confidence- building measures, focusing on two specific practical proposals: an enhanced good offices role for the ARF Chairman and the establishment of a register of experts or eminent persons. On the concept and principles for preventive diplomacy, a useful input to ARF discussions has been a set of principles identified by the second-track Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific as being suited to the circumstances of the Asia-Pacific region.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“At a local level, conflict can be provoked and fuelled by illegal and excessive stockpiling of and trafficking in small arms. More needs to be done in this area as a contribution to the prevention of armed conflict, and Australia is ready to contribute to international efforts to this end. Because armed conflict has its greatest impact on the countries and people immediately around it, conflict prevention is in part a regional responsibility. There is great potential for practical, cooperative action to be taken at the regional level to complement wider international efforts. Australia is working closely with its Asia-Pacific neighbours, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF), to explore ways of preventing disputes escalating into armed conflict.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), arms limitation and reduction treaties, the Conventions on biological and chemical weapons and other international security treaties are all threads in the fabric of our collective effort to prevent conflict. When one of these threads breaks, the fabric can start to fray. That is why Australia, like so many countries committed to the goal of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, was so concerned by the recent decision of the United States Senate to vote against ratification of the CTBT. We continue to encourage the United States, and other countries whose ratifications are required for the Treaty to enter into force, to take this step quickly.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“Strong global norms are a crucial part of this equation. International law must be consistently applied and rigorously enforced. The role of the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia has underlined the importance of effective enforcement of international criminal law, in ensuring that justice is done and in deterring similar inhuman and criminal behaviour in the future. The adoption of the Statute of the International Criminal Court represents a milestone in the development of a stronger international legal system and a stronger international culture of prevention. The network of international non-proliferation and disarmament machinery is equally important.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“No single action can on its own ensure the absence of violent conflict. While timely remedial action can pull disputing parties back from the brink of conflict, the most effective prevention ensures that this point is never reached, and potential disputants are able to resolve their differences before the use of force is conceived of as an option. In a sense, all international cooperation contributes to prevention, both by creating mechanisms to resolve differences between us and by addressing in practical ways many of the underlying causes of conflict. The interdependent networks of international cooperation in which we are all engaged, all the time, in economic, social, humanitarian, legal, security and other fields - even sporting fields - all play a part in building a culture of prevention.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“A political cartoon in a major United States daily newspaper some months ago depicted the Security Council deep in debate over its response to a dispute that had already broken into violent conflict. One delegate is pictured saying to his anguished Council colleagues, "No, no, no. First comes earnest hand-wringing, and then comes ineffectual soul-searching." The reality of the Security Council's role is, as we all know, considerably more positive. But the cartoonist's harsh interpretation points to the paradox of effective preventive action: much of it takes place unseen, and its success is measured not so much by what happens as by what does not happen. When it fails, the results are all too manifest. It is also true that effective preventive action involves a complex combination of mechanisms.”
1999-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4072 (1999) · source
“We also congratulate the Secretary-General and his Personal Representative, Jamsheed Marker, and those who have so valiantly, strenuously and with dedication represented the United Nations on the ground in East Timor during this period. This draft resolution marks a historic day for the people of East Timor and for the United Nations efforts to build international peace and stability.”
1999-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4057 (1999) · source
“Australia, as a near neighbour of East Timor and a responsible member of its region and the wider international community, is committed to assisting UNTAET and the East T imorese people to prepare for independence and rebuild and develop their country. We consider this to be a long-term regional and international responsibility. We urge the international community to give early, generous support to the UNTAET Trust Fund. We pledge our cooperation to the United Nations specialized agencies, international financial donors, bilateral donors and the non-governmental organization community in the period before the birth of an independent nation, and indeed well beyond. We congratulate all participants here today on the cooperative approach that has characterized the development and the conclusion of the draft resolution.”
1999-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4057 (1999) · source
“The decision in one sense marked the end of a painful national and international issue, and Australia sincerely hopes that it marks the beginning of a new and positive relationship between the peoples of Indonesia and East Timor, and also of reconciliation among the people of East Timor. It would be remiss of me not to note that the decision on East Timor was very closely followed by the election of Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati Soekarnoputri as President and Vice-President of the Republic of Indonesia. We welcome their election, which is part of the ongoing movement of political reform in Indonesia, and constitutes an important contribution not only to their country but to regional stability.”
1999-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4057 (1999) · source
“But we also see the maintenance of peace and security in East Timor as an ongoing responsibility of the international community. Australia urges the Member States of the United Nations to take early decisions to contribute to the UNTAET peacekeeping force or to lend their support in ways best suited to their individual circumstances. Australia commends the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly, which on 20 October agreed by consensus to revoke its 1978 decision incorporating East Timor into Indonesia. That decision attests to the emerging democratic spirit in Indonesia, reflected also in the 7 June general elections. Australia understands that this was a difficult decision, but the historic result upheld Indonesia's responsibilities under the 5 May tripartite Agreement.”
1999-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4057 (1999) · source
“We wish to acknowledge gratefully the ready cooperation Australia has received from regional countries and from other members of the international community in mounting the International Force, East Timor (INTERFET) operation, and enabling its early success. As the Council is aware from the INTERFET Commander's periodic reports, security has been restored to most of East Timor, humanitarian agencies are now able to conduct their work and the East Timorese people have begun to return to the homes from which they were driven. Consistent with the terms of today's draft resolution, Australia looks forward to the time when the multinational force in East Timor hands over its duties to the military component of UNTAET. Australia is fully committed to continuing its active role following the handover to the UNTAET force.”
1999-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4057 (1999) · source
“UNTAET's mandate will culminate in a democratic election in which the people of East Timor will choose their first Government and then take their place formally in the community of nations. Australia looks forward to that day. Australia shared the international community's distress at the post-ballot violence in East Timor. At the request of the Secretary-General, Australia accepted the leadership of the multinational force tasked with restoring peace and security, protecting and supporting UNAMET and facilitating the Vital work of humanitarian agencies. Fifteen countries have now joined Australia in contributing forces in East Timor.”
1999-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4057 (1999) · source
“They go well beyond the immediate and critical tasks of reconstructing East Timor's physical infrastructure and of addressing the urgent humanitarian needs of hundreds of thousands of displaced people across East Timor. UNTAET, in close consultation with the East Timorese, must also build the foundations for a democratic and stable State. It must build a constitution, a legal system and judiciary, a police force and a civil service. The Secretary-General's comprehensive report outlines the magnitude of this task. We have no doubt that, drawing on its experience of nation-building elsewhere in the world, the United Nations will achieve these goals and create the economic and social foundations for a well-managed, stable and democratic State. Australia is fully committed to assist in this task.”
1999-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4057 (1999) · source
“It is with considerable pleasure that I address the Security Council on the occasion of the adoption of the draft resolution authorizing the establishment of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). This draft resolution is a crucial and historic step towards realizing the desire of the East Timorese people for independence, as reflected in the outcome of the ballot of 30 August organized by the United Nations. As the transitional authority for East Timor, UNTAET is charged with the heavy responsibility of overseeing East Timor's transition to a new, independent State. In implementing this mandate, the transitional administration faces challenges that are quite simply enormous.”
1999-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4057 (1999) · source
“I should say that Australia welcomes the important changes that have occurred in Indonesia itself during the past year, particularly the democratic elections that were held on 7 June. The Indonesian economy is now beginning to recover from the impact of the East Asian financial crisis. Australia's interest is in an Indonesia which is successful and is constructively engaged with the international community, not an Indonesia which is isolated and disadvantaged through confrontation over East Timor.”
1999-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4043 (1999) · source
“We have all recognized it as an historic opportunity. So a great deal stands to be lost. The East Timorese people have expressed themselves overwhelmingly in favour of independence. The failure of the international community to support them in the realization of that goal would amount to turning our backs on them. Australia, for one, cannot and will not do that. We urge Indonesia, as a friend and neighbour, not to do so. And we pledge our readiness to assist them in restoring peace and security to the territory and to creating the conditions in which the East Timorese people can rebuild their lives in accordance with the wishes they expressed so clearly in the popular consultation.”
1999-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4043 (1999) · source
“The Secretary-General said in his statement yesterday and he reiterated today that the time had come for Indonesia to seek the help of the international community, and in the form of such an international force. My Government agrees, and we are ready to play our part. We are also working with our United Nations partners and with non-governmental organizations to address the disastrous humanitarian situation. On 9 September Australia announced an urgent package of humanitarian assistance for the East Timorese people as an initial response to this crisis. We are ready to provide further assistance as soon as the security situation permits and as we obtain a better picture of the needs of people throughout Timor. A great deal has been invested in the popular consultation of the East Timorese people.”
1999-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4043 (1999) · source
“Indonesia must do everything in its power to stop the violence, bring the militias under control, allow the return of internally displaced persons and begin the process of restoring normality to the territory - and this must happen immediately. We are concerned at the discredit that the actions of the Indonesian military are bringing to Indonesia as a whole. We have made it clear to Indonesia, one of our nearest neighbours, that we are ready to help. We are ready to contribute to, and to lead, a multi-nation security force to assist Indonesia to restore law and order and to enable the full return of the United Nations. A number of other concerned countries, from our own region and further afield, have said they are ready to join us. But we need Indonesia's cooperation.”
1999-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4043 (1999) · source
“It is there because it was asked - by the Government of Indonesia, as well as the Government of Portugal - to play a role in implementing the historic agreement between those two countries on resolving the question of East Timor. It was invited by the Government of Indonesia to assist in the implementation of the popular consultation of the East Timorese people. We call on the Indonesian Government to give an unequivocal commitment to respect the result of the 30 August ballot and to expedite the transfer of control of East Timor to the United Nations, in accordance with the provisions of the 5 May Agreement. In the immediate future, the most urgent task is to restore security in East Timor. The restoration of peace and security in the territory remains, indisputably, the responsibility of the Government of Indonesia.”
1999-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4043 (1999) · source
“The provision of humanitarian assistance has halted because aid workers are no longer safe. The United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) is now at the point where it has to consider withdrawing completely from East Timor. Officials of the Australian Consulate in Dili were also withdrawn two days ago because we could no longer be assured of their safety. This deplorable situation has arisen because of the failure of the Indonesian military to honour Indonesia's commitment to provide security in East Timor for the United Nations consultation and transition process. We call on Indonesia to agree immediately to the deployment of a United Nations-authorized international force to provide the necessary security for UNAMET to resume its role. Let us not forget what the United Nations is actually doing in East Timor, and why it is there.”
1999-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4043 (1999) · source
“Australia has watched with growing alarm and concern the developments that have unfolded in East Timor over the last week. We are now facing a serious crisis. Law and order have completely broken down. Murder, arson, looting and acts of violence and intimidation against innocent civilians continue unpunished. Armed militia are running rampant, with elements of the Indonesian security forces standing by and making no attempt to intervene. As the Secretary- General said yesterday and again today, the situation is descending into a state of anarchy. A humanitarian crisis is emerging. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced out of their homes. Many have been forced to leave East Timor and those that remain are subject to continued harassment and intimidation.”
1999-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4043 (1999) · source
“The commission, we believe, offers hope that East Timorese of different views will see the need to accommodate their interests peacefully. We also very much welcome reports received overnight that the Government of Indonesia has decided to release Xanana Gusmao. Like the United Nations, Australia has consistently said that Xanana Gusmao should be allowed to return to East T imor. Australia is strongly committed to supporting the implementation of the 5 May Agreements and the consultation process conducted by UNAMET. We recognize the historic challenge that this poses for the Government of Indonesia and for the international community. We are pleased to support it and to contribute as best we can to ensuring its success.”
1999-08-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4038 (1999) · source
“The popular consultation on 30 August represents a historic opportunity for the East Timorese people to express a view on their constitutional future. At the same time, there is a pressing need for reconciliation between the factions in East Timor if the process that was embarked upon on here on 5 May is to lead to a peaceful and lasting resolution of the East Timor conflict. Australia urges all parties to make the utmost efforts towards this end, and we remain committed to assisting all genuine reconciliation efforts among the East Timorese. In particular, we, like others, have been greatly encouraged by the steps taken in recent days to establish an East Timorese consultative commission, with representation from both pro-integration and pro-independence leaders.”
1999-08-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4038 (1999) · source
“This is a precondition for a free and fair ballot on 30 August, and we have urged - and will continue to urge - all parties to take all necessary steps to create this environment. In recent days, the Australian Government has, at the very highest levels, again emphasized to the Government of Indonesia that ensuring security in East Timor remains its responsibility. My Government has urged the Government of Indonesia on many occasions to take the necessary steps to restore law and order in East Timor. Under the 5 May New York Agreements, the Government of Indonesia remains responsible for security after the ballot, whatever the result. We recall and we welcome assurances from the highest levels of the Indonesian Government of its undertakings to uphold its international commitments.”
1999-08-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4038 (1999) · source