S/PV.4404 Security Council

The Security Council will now continue its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. After consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council welcomes the Secretary-General’s report of 18 October 2001 (S/2001/983). “The Security Council expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in East Timor and to the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) for their efforts in developing detailed plans for the future United Nations presence in East Timor. “The Security Council welcomes the political progress achieved to date towards establishing an independent East Timorese State and endorses the recommendation by the Constituent Assembly that independence be declared on 20 May 2002. “The Security Council recalls resolutions 1272 (1999) of 25 October 1999 and 1338 (2001) of 31 January 2001 and other relevant resolutions. It agrees with the Secretary-General’s assessment that premature withdrawal of the international presence could have a destabilizing effect in a number of crucial areas. It further agrees with the Secretary-General’s assessment that the United Nations should remain engaged in East Timor to protect the major achievements so far realized by UNTAET, to build upon those achievements in cooperation with other actors, and to assist the East Timorese Government in ensuring security and stability. “The Security Council agrees with the Secretary-General’s assessment that it will be vital that the United Nations contribution is supplemented by multilateral and bilateral arrangements. The Council looks forward to receiving information on the financial implications of the follow-on mission and a detailed assessment of shared responsibilities among the principal interacting players, i.e. the United Nations system, international financial institutions, regional mechanisms and national donors in their efforts to assist East Timor in its unprecedented transition to self-government.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2001/32. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.