S/PV.4522 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Australia, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Thailand and Ukraine in which they request to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the discussion, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Stuart (Australia), Mr. Fonseca (Brazil), Mr. Maquieira (Chile), Mr. Aboul Gheit (Egypt), Mr. Naidu (Fiji), Mr. Widodo (Indonesia), Mr. Motomura (Japan), Mr. Zainuddin (Malaysia), Mr. MacKay (New Zealand), Mr. Seixas da Costa (Portugal), Mr. Sun Joun-yung (Republic of Korea), Mr. Arias (Spain), Mr. Kasemsarn (Thailand), Mr. Kuchinsky (Ukraine) took the seats reserved for them at the side of the Council Chamber.

In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council’s prior consultations, and in the absence of objection, I shall take it that the Council agrees to extend an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Mr. Hédi Annabi, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations. There being no objection, it is so decided. I invite Mr. Annabi to take a seat at the Council table. In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council’s prior consultations, and in the absence of objection, I shall take it that the Council agrees to extend invitations under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to His Excellency Mr. Xanana Gusmão, President-elect of East Timor, and His Excellency Mr. Mari Bin Amude Alkatiri, Chief Minister of East Timor. There being no objection, it is so decided. On behalf of the Council, I extend a warm welcome to the President-elect of East Timor, Mr. Xanana Gusmão and to the Chief Minister of East Timor, Mr. Mari Bin Amude Alkatiri. I request the Associate Chief of Protocol to escort them to their seats at the Council table. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them document S/2002/432 and Add.1, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor. I should like to welcome the presence of the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, to whom I give the floor.

We are approaching a historic moment for East Timor and, indeed, for the United Nations. It is with considerable emotion that I join you in welcoming the elected leaders of the people of East Timor — President-elect Xanana Gusmão and Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri — who will participate in this debate, and to whom, in less than one month’s time, the United Nations will joyfully hand over full responsibility for the destiny of their country. Since the tragic events of September 1999, which followed the democratic decision of the East Timorese people to seek independence, the United Nations has been working hard to build a sustainable national administration, in close partnership with Member States and, most importantly, with the East Timorese themselves. It may have seemed improbable to some at that time that East Timor would become a viable State within two and a half years. But I believe history is about to confound the sceptics. Credit for this should go first and foremost to the East Timorese people, who have shown great courage and perseverance in rebuilding their country. They have risen to every challenge that has confronted them and have unfailingly demonstrated their commitment to democracy. There are still daunting challenges ahead, but with a determined and dedicated leadership in place, and a strong constitutional foundation, I believe they can now face the future with confidence. We, the international community, can also take pride in the contribution we have made. After the swift restoration of order by the international force, authorized by this Council, the United Nations itself was given a mandate of unprecedented scope under resolution 1272 (1999), adopted on 25 October 1999. Since then, peace has been secured, and basic governmental structures and laws have been put in place. A sense of normality has returned. Children are attending schools, roads are being built, buildings reconstructed, health systems established, and new businesses are opening up every day. The citizens of East Timor have turned out in overwhelming numbers to vote in the Constituent Assembly and presidential elections. Most encouragingly, in the last few months increasing numbers of refugees have returned. But all this is only the start. The Government of East Timor faces enormous tasks before — and, above all, after — 20 May. It must not be left alone. The international community must ensure that the investment it has made does not go to waste. It will still have a crucial role to play in helping the Timorese to consolidate their new institutions. That is why I very much hope the Council will approve the detailed proposals for a follow-on peacekeeping presence contained in my report. In the initial stages, this mission — called the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) — will provide support in three areas that are critical for the stability and viability of the new State: public administration, law and order, and external security. That support will be reduced gradually over two years, as the role of the United Nations becomes one of providing normal development assistance. I am confident that the Timorese will continue to develop their own sources of revenue and to manage their resources prudently, in keeping with their track record thus far. But East Timor will continue to need financial and budgetary assistance. Moreover, sustainable growth will require investment from the private sector, both domestic and foreign. I urge all Member States to do their utmost to encourage it. Good relations with its nearest neighbours will be essential to East Timor’s future stability. This will include close cooperation with Indonesia, in order to ensure timely agreement on the delimitation of the border, on the situation of the remaining refugees in West Timor and on cooperation in prosecuting those accused of the serious crimes committed in 1999. Confidence is vital, and the best way to provide it is to continue the strong partnerships that have brought East Timor this far. I trust this will continue throughout the mandate of UNMISET, and beyond. I hope to be present in person for the independence ceremonies on 19 and 20 May, and I must say I look forward to that historic night with some excitement. It will mark the climax of the East Timorese people’s historic struggle to assert their right of self-determination, which I have no doubt will be celebrated in song and story for centuries to come. As Secretary-General, I am proud of the part the United Nations has played in that struggle, and I am especially pleased that we are now in this last phase. I pledge that this will mark not an end, but a new beginning, and that the United Nations stands ready to play its full part alongside the independent nation of East Timor.

I thank the Secretary-General for his statement. I give the floor to Assistant Secretary-General Hédi Annabi to introduce the Secretary-General’s report. Mr. Annabi: Mr. President, at the outset I wish to join the Secretary-General in welcoming President- elect Xanana Gusmão and the Chief Minister of the East Timorese Government, Mari Alkatiri, who are here with us today to participate in this important meeting. The Secretary-General has highlighted some of the achievements of the last two and a half years and the requirement for a United Nations role post- independence to the ensure the security and stability of the young Timorese Administration. I would like to elaborate further on the development and objectives of the plan for the successor mission that is presented in the Secretary-General’s report dated 17 April 2002, which Council members have before them. As Council members may recall, United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) administration of East Timor started with an almost exclusively international staff in October 1999. UNTAET then progressively transitioned into a shared international East Timorese Cabinet and Administration during the first Transitional Government. The Government of East Timor has been run for the past eight months by an all-Timorese Council of Ministers. The executive, legislative and judicial branches of Government are beginning to function, and East Timorese civil servants and line managers are now serving in all sectors. East Timorese police officers continue to be trained and to serve side by side with their United Nations counterparts. In short, there are now in East Timor the basic elements — although they are still fragile — of State and public administration. To implement UNTAET’s mandate, the United Nations had to adjust its way of doing business. We are grateful, in particular, for the flexibility that the General Assembly and its Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions have shown in allowing for the provision of central support services for government, such as information technology, telecommunications and district services. Our procedures for recruiting international staff had to be changed in order to obtain personnel with the technical expertise and experience required to run a public administration. This has not been easy. There were initial shortcomings. Recruitment authority was eventually delegated to UNTAET, which allowed for direct consultations with senior Government officials on the recruitment of appropriate international staff. Notwithstanding the significant progress made, certain elements set out in UNTAET’s mandate have not yet been fully achieved. Government structures are not yet fully functional or financially sustainable. Significant benefits from the Timor Sea are projected to flow into the economy, but not until about three years from now. Until then, it is imperative that the international community continue to provide budgetary support to the young Timorese public Administration. The plan for an integrated peacekeeping mission post-independence, to be known as the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), was developed over the past 12 months and draws on lessons learned from UNTAET and other missions. The most fundamental lesson is that, in order to have a lasting impact which makes the best use of limited resources, there must be a comprehensive benchmark- based strategy that must be implemented in a coherent manner and with a close partnership among the United Nations, Member States and our Timorese colleagues. With this in mind, UNTAET, together with the East Timorese, identified the requirements for 100 core functions to support the Government after independence, defined an exit strategy and took measures to enable recruitment against these functions by independence. Similarly, with respect to the police, we identified the requirements to develop a police structure based on the law enforcement needs and budgetary realities of East Timor, and we agreed with the Timorese leadership on a development plan that is linked to specific benchmarks and provides for a progressive reduction of United Nations police personnel. As members of the Council are aware, President- elect Xanana Gusmão and Chief Minister Alkatiri recently wrote to you, Mr. President, requesting the establishment of a follow-on mission in East Timor and expressing their concurrence with the plan presented by the Secretary-General in his report. As the Secretary-General has noted, the follow-on mission would support three areas that are critical for the stability and viability of an independent East Timor, namely public administration, law and order, and external security. The follow-on mission would be gradually withdrawn as East Timorese institutions develop the capability to carry the burden alone. The details of how this support is to be provided are included in the implementation plan presented in the report. In the area of public administration, the mission would support critical Government functions through the provision of 100 international experts under the assessed budget. It is foreseen that the mission would phase out this assistance in essential services and to the legal system by November 2003 and in financial and central services, as well as internal systems, by May 2004. Continued civilian assistance will also be provided to bring to justice the perpetrators of serious crimes committed in 1999. Investigations into the priority cases are expected to be concluded by the end of the year, and the number of international investigators will be downsized accordingly. Prosecutors, however, will need to continue to be available as these cases proceed through the judicial system. Regarding law and order, progress in the development of the East Timor Police Service has been impressive, and a total of 1,800 Timorese police officers have received basic training and are now working alongside their United Nations counterparts. Another 1,030 police officers are to be trained to reach the target strength of 2,830. As requested by the East Timorese leadership, the United Nations police will continue to provide executive policing and to support the development of the East Timor Police Service. At independence, the United Nations plans to enter into a formal agreement with the Government on the operational arrangements for the police forces. These arrangements, which are currently being discussed with the Transitional Government, provide for the gradual handover of day- to-day policing responsibilities in the districts — subject, of course, to clearly defined criteria. The first handover is scheduled to take place on Independence Day, on 20 May 2002, when an East Timorese district commander will assume responsibility for Aileu district. The final handover is expected to occur in January 2004, when the headquarters structure will be fully commanded by the East Timor Police Service. Until all 13 districts are handed over, all police officers, including East Timorese commanders at the district and unit level, will operate as a joint service under the command of the United Nations Police Commissioner, who will report to the Special Representative of the Secretary- General. This will ensure a coherent police service, combining East Timorese and international police working side by side, that is able to operate smoothly and to discharge effectively its responsibilities for the maintenance of law and order. The third area in which support will continue to be needed after independence is external security. The East Timor Defence Force is still in its early stages of development and subject to sustained bilateral support, it is not expected to attain full operational capability until January 2004. In the meantime, as requested by the East Timorese leadership, the United Nations will continue to be responsible for the maintenance of the external security and territorial integrity of East Timor. An agreement specifying the modalities for coordination between the United Nations peacekeeping forces and the East Timor Defence Force (ETDF) is in preparation and is also expected to be signed by the Government and the United Nations at the time of independence. As the East Timor Defence Force develops its operational capability, it will gradually take on responsibility for external security. However, it is expected that in the meantime United Nations and East Timorese military forces will operate under separate chains of command and areas of operation. The Secretary-General’s report provides a detailed plan to downsize the peacekeeping force in four phases, over a period of two years. Annex IV of the report shows the projected timeline according to which each phase will occur, subject to the attainment of certain predetermined benchmarks. In that regard, the timely conclusion of an agreement on the border between East Timor and Indonesia will be critical. Should such an agreement be reached, as we hope it will, before the end of 2002, it may even become possible to accelerate the downsizing of the force in the border area, as well as to accelerate the reduction of its overall strength. However, I cannot emphasize enough that the material and financial support of bilateral donors for the full establishment of the East Timorese police and military are essential, and that they require urgent action. While training and governance mechanisms will be put in place with the support of the Mission, there will be a need to ensure that the police and military institutions of East Timor are adequately equipped and resourced through generous bilateral contributions. It must be understood that the timely implementation of the hand-over to the East Timorese police is linked to the logistical capabilities of the Timorese police and that increased donor support could allow the reduction to occur at a more rapid pace. The same logic of course applies to the ETDF. In addition to assistance to police and military forces, there is a need for continued bilateral support to East Timor to strengthen the institutions and structures of Government and to put into effect the programme for the medium- and long-term development of the country. While the proposed Mission will focus its efforts on consolidating a stable environment in East Timor, there will be a continuing need for other United Nations entities, as well as bilateral and other donors, to assist the people of East Timor in developing a sustainable economy. The commitments made by Member States at the next donor conference, which is to be held in Dili on 14 and 15 May, will be essential to sustain and develop the existing basic administrative structures. We urge Member States to channel their assistance to support the 200 priority posts for social and economic development and poverty reduction, which will rely on voluntary contributions. Considerable emphasis has been placed on coordinating the activities of the wider United Nations system, bilateral donors, civil society and the national development plan of the East Timor Government itself. As indicated in the Secretary-General’s report, the implementation plan for UNMISET provides for close coordination of the United Nations family, including the Bretton Woods institutions, as well as bilateral donors, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. To facilitate this coordination, it is envisaged that the Resident Coordinator will be appointed Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General — as has been done with some success elsewhere, such as in Sierra Leone, for example. That will ensure that the international community can maximize the benefits of its collective resources and will enable the United Nations gradually to transition from UNMISET into a role of traditional development assistance, over the two-year period proposed in the report. In closing, and with the permission of the Secretary-General, I would like to pay tribute to all those who have been instrumental in allowing us to make the progress that has been achieved so far. Foremost in our minds, of course, are the East Timorese and their unflagging commitment and cooperation. In particular, I should recognize the extremely able leadership of President-elect Xanana Gusmão and Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri and their colleagues in the Government and Constituent Assembly. Our deep gratitude also goes to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, for his admirable leadership of UNTAET and for his dedication and hard work alongside the East Timorese people during the past two and a half years. Finally, last but not least, I would like to pay special tribute to all the staff of UNTAET and its partner organizations for their outstanding contribution in helping East Timor to overcome its tragic past and enabling it to join the community of nations and, soon, the United Nations Organization as a full member.

I thank Mr. Annabi for his introduction. I now give the floor to the President-elect of East Timor, His Excellency Mr. Xanana Gusmão. Mr. Gusmão: I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for the invitation to address this important meeting devoted to East Timor. The Secretary-General has already presented a comprehensive review of the latest developments, and the Chief Minister, Mr. Mari Alkatiri, is also here to complement this report with an update. Before talking about the current stage leading towards formal independence, allow me to touch on some earlier key events pertaining to the question of East Timor. They are well known to everyone here, of course, but I wish to briefly reflect on where we came from before we reached this phase, where formal independence is about to be granted. The process towards a peaceful solution for East Timor was clearly defined 20 years ago, when the General Assembly adopted resolution 37/30, in 1982. The Secretary-General was given the authority to initiate the necessary measures, including calling upon all interested parties to work together towards the implementation of the spirit and the letter of the resolution. After 18 years, in May 1999, the United Nations and the Governments of the Republic of Indonesia and the Portuguese Republic signed the 5 May accord. That accord enabled the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) to be set up to implement the first phase, which was the popular consultation held on 30 August 1999. The referendum finally allowed us to exercise our right to self-determination. As expected, our people opted overwhelmingly for independence, for freedom and for democracy. The 5 May accord envisaged that, regardless of the outcome of the vote, the United Nations would take over administration of the territory. The violence that followed the announcement of the results of the vote was beyond belief. As a nation and people, over a period of 24 years of occupation we endured extreme and systematic violence, but nothing prepared us for the violence of September 1999. Within a short period, people were killed and our country was looted and burned. Thousands of people fled from their villages and towns to the mountains, and many more were forced to cross the border into Indonesia. For our people, that was an eclipse of freedom. The international community witnessed the violence and destruction and acted forcefully to stop it. We are particularly indebted to the Security Council and to all the countries that helped to take that decisive decision. The diplomatic and military actions taken by the international community proved to the world that it had the capacity to end widespread violence against a defenceless people. Through the International Force in East Timor (INTERFET), many countries came together under the overall command of Australia to help control the situation. Operation Stability was a success. INTERFET was not envisaged in the 5 May accord, but it was necessary to save the accord itself. By doing so, it also helped to honour the responsibilities and the undertakings of the Government of Indonesia based on the 5 May accord. INTERFET allowed the second phase of the accord to be implemented. The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) was formed to carry out the second phase on behalf of the Security Council. With the support of the peacekeeping force, UNTAET’s mandate was to create the democratic institutions of Government. In the last two years, UNTAET has given primary emphasis to the maintenance of security and the establishment of the rule of law. The development of the East Timor Police Service and the East Timor Defence Force has been an extraordinary achievement. We are now certain that we are heading in the right direction, but we acknowledge that much more needs to be done, especially in the administration of justice. Other areas of critical importance, such as education, health, agriculture and fisheries, still require strong support in terms of finance and human resources. The civil service is evolving, but many challenges still exist, especially at the senior level, in building the capacity of our people to maintain effective, transparent and accountable government. We are now about to become independent. As reported by the Secretary-General, a constitution was adopted by an elected Constituent Assembly and, on the basis of that constitution, we have just held presidential elections. We now have the three basic institutions of sovereignty: the executive, the parliament and a president. Our second Transitional Government was set up after the election of a Constituent Assembly on 30 August 2001. With very limited resources, the Government is likely to face extreme difficulties in implementing its programmes unless financial support and the appropriate expertise from the international community are forthcoming. The Chief Minister, Mr. Alkatiri, can explain the details of those matters. There is a plan to provide international experts for 100 core functions, which have been identified by UNTAET and the Government as critical to the viability of the Government and to political stability. That support is important. The Government has been actively involved in the process of preparing the first national development plan for East Timor. Civil society has also been involved in that process through the Civil Society Consultative Commission, which administered a countrywide consultation. The aim of the consultation was to ensure that the national development plan would reflect the needs and aspirations of our people. I was personally involved in the exercise, as the Head of the Commission. That particular exercise enabled almost 40,000 people to participate directly in planning for the future. They presented their own vision and expectations and outlined their own priorities. The report on the aspirations and priorities identified by the people is now in the hands of the Government. Education and health were identified as areas of major concern and will be at the top of the list of priorities. The development plan will be released before independence. It will be an important document not only to guide the Government and civil society in developing the nation, but also to guide the international community on how best it can continue to help us support our major goals of reducing poverty and promoting economic and social development. We now have a constitution. It provides guarantees of human rights for our people. In terms of the philosophy of the United Nations, our constitution provides an example of how the fundamental elements of human rights can be incorporated into a constitution. For a nation in the making, delivering those guarantees to individuals and to the nation is a gigantic challenge. How are we going to respond to the basic needs of our people in terms of employment, basic health and the right to education? How are we going to respond to basic human rights in terms of employment, working conditions and equal opportunities for both genders? How are we going to nurture and sustain integrated democratic processes? Those are all real challenges, not only for us, the Timorese, but also for the United Nations. Our struggle for freedom was a litmus test for the process of resolving conflict through peaceful means. Our freedom, won through years of sustained resistance on many fronts and finally becoming a reality through the 5 May accord, was sealed in the ballot box in the popular consultation held on 30 August 1999. That was a turning point in our history. I wish to reiterate the fact that the successful implementation of the popular consultation was a product of the United Nations working creatively with the people of East Timor. The commitment of the entire Security Council to East Timor and the personal commitment of the Secretary- General, Mr. Kofi Annan, were certainly a force in that process. Our people will never forget the Council’s help. The experience of the administration of UNTAET holds rich lessons for the future. Future United Nations administrations in post-conflict situations will be much richer if the lessons from East Timor are incorporated into the design and implementation of United Nations plans. The successor mission, the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), has a mandate-implementation plan with defined benchmarks to be achieved within a certain time frame. For this plan to succeed, it will need the support of Member States. We welcome those plans and shall work together to make sure that the objectives assigned to the successor Mission will be successfully implemented. The building of democratic institutions has also been a process led by the United Nations through UNTAET, working with the Timorese leadership, as envisaged in the Security Council resolutions. So far, it has been a success. The challenge now for the Timorese, and also for the United Nations, is how to consolidate the core democratic institutions. The need to enhance the capacity and transparency of political institutions and of the administrative apparatus is a critical challenge. Appropriate development in the areas of law and order is another. To maintain and sustain security and stability, which are the most important conditions for national development and democracy, are two intertwined processes that must be carefully nurtured. We will face a real test after the declaration of independence on 20 May. That is when capacity- building begins in earnest. A central issue is how are we going to manage the legislature in order to elaborate laws to regulate an environment conducive to sustaining economic development. The other real challenge is how the United Nations and the people of East Timor can continue to work together in the post- independence era to enhance the capacity of the institutions of East Timor after it becomes a democratic State. Support from the international community, including technical advisers to support key Government functions, will be essential for some time to come. In short, our struggle for freedom and independence evolved from the cold-war era into the new millennium. Our independence is the product of the sustained determination of our people, combined with active cooperation with the international community at all levels. Our future success will also depend on the continuation of that determination and cooperation. I appeal to the Security Council and to the Secretary-General to continue to support us in the challenging years ahead. Our success is your success. For our part, as a people and a nation that emerged from the ashes to look forward to becoming a State Member of the United Nations, we shall continue to embrace the principles of human rights, mutual respect, good citizenship and cooperation at all levels between States and peoples. Our actions will always be oriented towards sustained peace and stability. Those are the best assets we have. Lastly but not least, I should like to thank the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his personal commitment over many years to helping us, as a people and a nation, to succeed in the struggle for peace and freedom.

I now give the floor to Mr. Mari Alkatiri, Chief Minister of East Timor. Mr. Alkatiri: After a quarter of a century of struggle and resistance, we are now only 23 days from achieving our objective, the international recognition of the independence of East Timor. That it will be achieved on 20 May is a tribute not only to our people and their contributions to the process, but also to the international community and the United Nations, which kept the idea of an independent East Timor alive in the darkest hour of the struggle. The support of the Security Council has been fundamental over the past two and a half years, as the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) and the people of East Timor worked together to restore security and stability and to establish the foundation of an independent Government. It was not always easy, as there was no blueprint or manual on how to govern a country. We learned as we went along. Now, however, we are at a stage in which East Timor is ready to govern itself. Since September 2001, an entirely East Timorese Government has been exercising executive authority, and while we are facing a major challenge to develop our public and private institutions as well as their social and communitarian counterparts, the fundamental structures and institutions of the country are now in place. Government and civil society have been working hard together to produce our first national plan, with the objective of establishing a programme to alleviate poverty and promote the development of East Timor. We have a clear idea of our priorities after the broad public consultation that preceded our planning process and the open Cabinet meetings that the Council of Ministers has been conducting in each of the 13 districts of East Timor, at which the population was able to express its concerns directly to the Government. We are concerned that our style of governance should be seen not only as representative — inasmuch as we are the elected representatives of the people — but also as participatory, in order to directly involve the people in the decision-making process. The present leadership of the country has a duty to live up to two major expectations. The first is the expectation of the people that the Government will channel their energies and creative ability into the development of the country. The second is the expectation of the international community that the Government will do all it can to convert the aid being provided into investments that will benefit future generations and thus increase the credibility of the country, so that it can continue to deserve the confidence and support of the international community. As a result of the consultation process, Government attention will be concentrated on four major areas. First, education and the eradication of illiteracy, which currently stands at around 55 per cent, are priorities. Second is health, with particular emphasis on the fight against malnutrition and endemic diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, as well as the provision of the basics of public health, including clean water and sanitation. Another priority is the campaign that has already started for AIDS awareness and education. Third is housing, which is another priority. Fourth is agriculture and its development potential. This is particularly important in order to halt the exodus of the rural population to the city and, indeed, to reverse that trend. Our budget will be a clear reflection of those priorities, which were identified in the national plan, with a particular emphasis on service delivery and the alleviation of poverty. The final budget will be approved on 30 May. I should also like to mention that the President- elect, the Special Representative of the Secretary- General and I had a long and fruitful meeting recently, and we are in broad agreement on how to go forward. The President-elect and I share the same objectives — the well-being and advancement of the people of East Timor — and we will work together with the presidency, the Government and Parliament to achieve those goals. We will, however, still be relying on the support of the United Nations and of the international community to consolidate the progress that has been made thus far and to guarantee the stability of the country after independence. I am referring to the need for assessed funding for the 100 core functions that are vital for the continued functioning of the Government, and for donor funding for the 200 additional functions that were identified, with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as necessary for social and economic development and poverty reduction. In order to implement the national development plan, international support is critical over the next three years until the first revenues can be expected from the gas and petroleum developments in the Timor Sea. Those revenues will be considered as a credit by future generations of East Timor to the current generation, which will be paid back by a special development fund for education, health and infrastructure. We will be applying to join the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, and our application to the International Monetary Fund is currently being processed. We are working closely with the World Bank to establish a mechanism to channel donor funds to a budget support facility that will help to bridge the gap between budget expenditures and forecast revenues over the next three years. We are actively engaged with the Australian Government and the oil companies operating in the Timor Sea to resolve outstanding issues, and we expect to sign the treaty relating to the area of cooperation upon independence or shortly thereafter. But these measures to ensure political and economic stability go hand in hand with the question of internal and external security. The East Timor defence and police forces are not yet ready to undertake those functions, and there will be a need for a continued United Nations presence with an executive role in those two areas. We are aware of the importance of signing the Status of Forces/Status of Mission agreement (SOFA/SOMA) and the agreements on police and military responsibilities. Those are of fundamental importance in defining the coordination between the Government and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the new mission, in order to avoid the danger of parallel command structures in the same country. The security of our country is also linked to the establishment of good relations with our neighbours and, indeed, with all the nations of the world. One important step will be the negotiation of our maritime boundaries. Budget restrictions will, of necessity, limit our diplomatic representations, but we encourage diplomats to visit East Timor and see for themselves the challenges that exist for the future, as well as the considerable progress that has already been made with the generous assistance of United Nations Members. We are aware that various countries have expressed an interest in establishing diplomatic relations with East Timor on Independence Day and we are studying how it will be humanly possible to bring this about in the time that it is available. To conclude, our priorities are to ensure that the Government’s programmes and policies reflect the aspirations of our people and are executed with the maximum efficiency and transparency and to maintain the high standards of human and social rights that were instituted during the transition period, counting on the active participation and support of civil society. Of particular significance will be the continuing promotion of equality and women’s rights and the campaign against domestic violence. Our priorities are also to plan for integrated and sustainable development, with the help of the United Nations agencies, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank; to consolidate the very real advances that have been made over the past two and a half years, with special emphasis on capacity and institution- building; and to encourage a spirit of tolerance and reconciliation within the community, allied to the application of economic, social and political justice. I would like to confirm our full support for the Secretary-General’s recommendations for the successor mission and commit my Government to working closely with the new Special Representative of the Secretary-General to make that new mission as much a success as UNTAET. We have come a long way together during East Timor’s transition to independence and special thanks are due to the Security Council for its continued support; to the Secretary-General who, in spite of his heavy load of responsibilities, has always been available for advice and consultation; and, of course, to our friend Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello, who has worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of East Timor.

I thank the Chief Minister of East Timor for his kind words addressed to the Security Council.

Let me start by thanking Assistant Secretary-General Annabi for his briefing on the situation in East Timor and for introducing the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). We would also like to thank the Secretary-General for the important statement he made earlier this morning. We are very pleased to welcome once again Mr. Xanana Gusmão — this time as the first President-elect of East Timor — and Chief Minister Mari Alkatari to the Security Council. We thank them for their statements outlining the policies that they will be following to address the immediate needs of their country. Let me also seize this opportunity to congratulate them on their election and to express our best wishes to them and to the entire population that they are going to be leading. The election held this month shows once again the political maturity of the people, their love of peace and democracy and their undivided commitment to East Timor’s future. We are very happy to see the positive developments in almost all sectors in East Timor. This is a sure and steady path in the process to independence. The success registered so far in the making of East Timor as a nation State is the outcome of the indomitable and undying spirit of sacrifice and dedication of its people and that of the international community, particularly the Security Council, which has engaged itself fully in the whole process from the very beginning. The progress achieved should now be consolidated and the international community should continue to accompany East Timor in its efforts. East Timor will require a sustained and high level of development assistance, as mentioned in paragraph 100 of the Secretary-General’s report. Top priority should be given to external security, law and order and the establishment of a solid and representative administrative service. We must therefore ensure that the needed help is given, especially in order to maintain the high level of security and to build a sustainable administrative and economic base. In this context, we fully support the proposal of the Secretary-General on the establishment of the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), with the responsibilities outlined in paragraph 64 of the report. We particularly appreciate the idea of a gradual devolution of responsibilities and powers to the people of East Timor in all sectors. This is the most pragmatic and realizable objective in the particular situation. The significant role played by Indonesia in the peace process and its continued support for all United Nations activities in East Timor must be highly commended. We are confident that both Indonesia and East Timor will continue to consult each other in addressing the outstanding issues. We encourage both countries to develop close, friendly and good- neighbourly relations that will permit regional stability and the optimal utilization of resources for the benefit of their respective peoples. We look forward to East Timor’s joining the family of the United Nations after acceding to formal independence on 20 May, a celebration which the whole world will be watching with great interest, joy and emotion. Let me say that Mauritius will be represented at that special and historic event. Before I conclude, allow me to express my appreciation to Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, who is not among us today, for the outstanding work accomplished by him in East Timor as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the Transitional Administration. His contribution in bringing peace to East Timor will become part of the history of the country. He and the entire staff of UNTAET deserve our heartiest appreciation for their laudable work in East Timor. We wish him plenty of success in his future undertakings. I also take this opportunity to convey my congratulations to Mr. Kamalesh Sharma, Permanent Representative of India, who will now head UNMISET and who, no doubt, has a gigantic task ahead. We are confident, however, that, with his experience and great leadership qualities, he will be able to meet the challenges. Mauritius, as ever, will continue to lend its support to him and to the people of East Timor in building a viable and peace-loving State.

My delegation is very gratified to be here in the Security Council at this extremely important moment in the history of East Timor. Allow me to thank the Secretary-General for having addressed us on this historic occasion as we welcome Mr. Xanana Gusmão, President-elect of East Timor, and thank him and Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri for their enlightening statements. We anticipate with great enthusiasm the company of East Timor as a State Member of the United Nations. We are grateful to the Secretariat for the report and to Mr. Annabi for his introduction. Today’s meeting is particularly meaningful. We are celebrating the culmination of a historic process that began over two years ago in great uncertainty and amid multiple political difficulties. We are now seeing the onset of a new phase that will be equally decisive for East Timor’s history, but that can be launched without the fears of the past. On 20 May, the date of independence for that new country and of the installation of the new Government, the Timorese and the international community will set out on a path that can be successfully completed only if we jointly reaffirm our decisive support. Colombia welcomes the independence of East Timor. This has crystallized the supreme exercise of the right of the Timorese to self-determination, a fundamental principle for peaceful coexistence among peoples. We recognize the transcendent importance of this moment, and we expect to participate in the ceremonies planned in Dili on 19 and 20 May. On earlier occasions we examined in some detail the Secretary-General’s proposals to define the United Nations presence after independence. We agree with the guidelines presented in the report being considered today, including the mandate for the new United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET). We would like to make a few general comments on areas of particular interest to Colombia. First, we are in favour of the gradual manner in which the transition from the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) to UNMISET has been planned. This is a fundamental element in guaranteeing that the new Timorese State is economically and politically sustainable in the long term. Secondly, we believe that the structure that has been planned for bringing about security and stability in the new country is appropriate. We feel that the planned linkage between UNMISET and the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Representative of the United Nations Development Programme is a positive element and will make it possible to harmonize and unify the United Nations contribution to the new Government’s development plans, bearing in mind security aspects. Thirdly, we would like to emphasize that starting on 20 May, the Security Council will have a different role to play in determining East Timor’s path. From now on, aside from the Timorese, of course, the most active role will be taken by other agencies of the United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods institutions, and bilateral donors that decide to commit resources to the new country. The challenge for the new actors will be to provide the Government of East Timor with a sustainable, genuine, harmonized, coordinated and coherent contribution to development. We would like to commend particularly the countries that have played a fundamental part in the recent history of this new country. I am referring, for instance, to the Governments of Portugal and Australia, and others whose direct participation has had a decisive impact in installing democracy in East Timor in safe conditions. We would also like to recognize the Government of Indonesia for having shown positive political will in cooperating with programmes for border security, humanitarian assistance and refugee return. In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Sergio Vieira de Mello, the outgoing Special Representative of the Secretary- General, for his contribution to the Timorese people and for having shown that the United Nations can be successful when the right conditions and sufficient political will exist. I would also like to congratulate Mr. Kamalesh Sharma on his appointment to lead the new Mission of Support. We are all familiar with his intellectual and professional abilities, and that is why we are sure that his management will be very successful.

I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Annabi for his briefing. I welcome President-elect Gusmão and Chief Minister Alkatiri, and on behalf of the United States Government I would like to congratulate Mr. Gusmão for his electoral victory and both of them for making East Timor’s transition to democracy and independence a model of peace, hopefulness and success. The most important thing now is to consolidate gains and avoid instability in the next phase. For these reasons, we endorse the recommendations in the Secretary-General’s recent report and expect to support a resolution establishing the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) soon, and certainly before independence. To ensure that, I encourage our East Timor colleagues and the United Nations to finalize the memorandums which will govern the command-and- control relationships between United Nations peacekeepers and police and their East Timor counterparts and institutions. We support the maximum level of coordination and cooperation while preserving the usual prerogatives, privileges and immunities. We hope that the United Nations and the East Timor Government will be looking for ways to accelerate the proposed downsizing and devolution to leave East Timor master of its own fate as soon as possible while acknowledging the need to move judiciously to avoid destabilization. Secretary-General Annan has chosen our colleague, the Indian Permanent Representative Mr. Sharma, to be the new Special Representative of the Secretary-General upon the establishment of UNMISET. We encourage the leaders of East Timor to work closely with him and with the United Nations leadership on the peacekeeping forces and the civilian political side of the implementation plan for the successor mission. The Secretary-General’s report talks specifically about the development needs of the East Timor Defence Force and the East Timor Police Service. We have provided personnel and trainers to both the Defence Force and the Police Service, and we expect to continue those services after independence. Furthermore, we recently started a logistics contract that is providing crucial support to the Defence Force in both Lospalos and Metinaro. We would join the Secretary-General in noting how important the development of these two institutions will be for East Timor’s future and in urging yet more countries, some of which had constraints before East Timor became independent, to look at providing assistance. The Secretary-General’s information about slow progress in the judicial sector raises concern. The United States has provided substantial assistance in that area, and we have approved another $600,000 worth of projects on the justice/accountability issue alone for the current year. Our justice-oriented grants to East Timor since 1999 have totalled more than $13.5 million. We encourage East Timor to make progress in this critical sector a priority. The Secretary-General’s report provides welcome detail on how UNMISET and the East Timorese Government will coordinate with international financial institutions and bilateral donors. We have always believed that the United Nations cannot, and indeed should not, be the only game in town. We encourage prompt implementation of, and full attention to, these coordination mechanisms. Bilaterally, the United States plans to establish diplomatic relations with East Timor immediately after independence. We will speak more about our donor plans during the upcoming Dili conference. But I want to reassure the Council that the United States remains committed to East Timor. From 1999 to the present, we have committed nearly $180 million in bilateral assistance for East Timor, independent of our contributions to United Nations peacekeeping. We have allocated more than $26 million in bilateral assistance to East Timor this fiscal year, which for us began September 2001. Even as we prepare to approve a further two-year United Nations presence, the United States continues to believe that a good definition of success in East Timor will be when the last United Nations peacekeepers leave and an independent and stable East Timor stands up on its own. To get there, the United Nations and the East Timorese will need to work with the widest range of bilateral donors and interested agencies to ensure that as the extraordinary measures, from finance through peacekeeping, progressively diminish to nothing within two years, other appropriate mechanisms of support are in place. We have previously urged that the East Timorese help this process by avoiding political infighting, focusing on a democratic, peaceful way forward, practising fiscal strictness and programme rigour, and capturing as much as the United Nations and others can teach, and quickly, in setting the right priorities. I will repeat those urgings, because I have two such important East Timorese leaders alongside me. We will also continue to encourage the United Nations to stay on schedule with the downsizing it has set for itself, progressively devolving responsibility to increasingly capable East Timor institutions. When we have that, we can truly talk about a United Nations success story. The United States expects to participate in the East Timor independence ceremony. I cannot finish today without expressing for the record the appreciation of the United States for the outstanding work of Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello and the UNTAET team. It is appropriate that we hear East Timorese voices today as we talk about the future, but it is equally appropriate that we commend and thank the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for his hard work over the last two and one half years.

I would like to join the Secretary-General in welcoming here today President-elect Xanana Gusmão and Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri. As Kofi Annan said, today is indeed an emotional moment. Those of us — and there are lots around this table today — who have been personally involved with East Timor over the last three years can only watch with admiration the progress that the people of East Timor have made. I think we should also record with admiration the assistance that has been given to them by the international community in making that progress. I am sure that Sir Jeremy Greenstock, who participated in the first Security Council mission to East Timor but who is in the United Kingdom today, would want me to repeat those sentiments on his behalf. This meeting should not be an occasion for long statements. In any case, I associate myself with the statement that will be made by Spain later in the debate on behalf of the European Union. But there are a few points I would like to make. First, it is vital that the international community remain engaged in East Timor to support this fledgling nation in the early stages of independence. This support will be particularly vital in the defence, security and justice sectors. The United Kingdom strongly supports the Secretary-General’s recommendation to establish the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) for an initial period of 12 months. We will shortly be circulating a draft resolution to members of the Council putting that — I hope — into effect soon. We welcome the appointment of Mr. Roque Rodrígues as the new Secretary of State for Defence. We hope that this will pave the way for the early signature of the status of forces agreement and agreement as soon as possible on the command authority arrangements which will exist after independence. These should, of course, follow standard United Nations practice. I was very heartened to hear Chief Minister Alkatiri register his Government’s interest in seeing a very early conclusion to that negotiation. It is also imperative that quick decisions be made to complete the process of financing and recruiting personnel for the 100 core civilian posts for the follow- on mission. The Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation will play a vital role in independent East Timor and will relieve pressure on the formal justice system. We have already heard from Assistant Secretary-General Annabi about those pressures. The United Kingdom has committed more than $450,000.00 to the Commission, but we have serious concerns about the lack of progress so far. It is vital that the work of the Commission is speeded up. United Kingdom support for East Timor will continue after independence. We have committed ₤12 million, or about $18 million, to support the implementation of a sound national development plan. We look forward to receiving details of the national development plan at the donor meeting in Dili on 14 and 15 May. United Kingdom funds will be provided as budgetary support. Their release will be conditional on the development of a mechanism to manage budgetary support from donors. The Secretary-General reminded us of the importance of the newly independent East Timor developing and maintaining good relations with its neighbours. In this context, we welcome the announcement that President Megawati Soekarnoputri of Indonesia intends to visit East Timor for the independence celebrations. This will be a symbolically important step towards the development of a more mature relationship between the two countries. For the United Kingdom’s part, Mr. Ben Bradshaw, the Foreign Office Minister for Southeast Asia, will attend the celebrations on 19 and 20 May. The United Kingdom will also upgrade its mission in Dili to an embassy after independence. I should not conclude without a word of heartfelt thanks to Sergio Vieira de Mello for all that he has done as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in East Timor over the last two years. It is very good news that Ambassador Kamalesh Sharma, who has been a most distinguished member of the community of Permanent Representatives here, has been appointed as the new Special Representative for East Timor. We hope that the post of Resident Coordinator, who will double as Deputy Special Representative, will be filled as soon as possible to allow for a smooth hand-over of responsibilities from the old team to the new one.

I wish at the outset to thank the Secretary-General for his report on the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), and Mr. Hédi Annabi for his introduction of the report. I wish to warmly welcome the participation of President-elect Gusmão and Chief Minister Alkatiri in the debate. We are happy to have them with us today. As a country associated with the European Union, Bulgaria aligns itself with the statement that will be made soon by the representative of Spain on behalf of the European Union. I would like to make a few brief comments in my national capacity. On behalf of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, I wish to warmly congratulate President-elect Gusmão on his election as the first President of East Timor. The presidential election is an auspicious prelude to the independence that will be proclaimed on 20 May 2002 in Dili. My delegation was very satisfied with the peaceful and transparent holding of the election. Bulgaria highly appreciates the efforts and the activities of President-elect Gusmão and the political leadership of East Timor that is aimed at anchoring democratic and human rights principles and practices in the political life of the young country. In this context, Bulgaria commends the outstanding results of UNTAET’s work and wishes to thank once again the Special Representative and Transitional Administrator, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, for his remarkable work. My country welcomes the Secretary-General’s proposals to continue providing United Nations support in the country’s post- independence period. We would like to draw attention to the need to resolve two problems that are important to the stability of the new State and the region as a whole. The first is the need to accelerate the border demarcation process. Beginning the land border demarcation process will contribute to resolving problems linked to security. Secondly, we would like the United Nations to continue working to bring about a return of refugees, including in the period after independence has been declared. Bulgaria hopes that international assistance to East Timor will not suddenly drop off after independence has been declared. On the contrary, assistance should be provided in such a way as to enable the country to develop a viable economy and its own sources of income so that its people can enjoy a decent standard of living. The integration of the country into the international community and, in particular, into the economic and political structures of the region is of crucial importance. In this context, we welcome the trilateral consultations that took place in February between the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, Indonesia and Australia, as well as the agreements that were signed to improve relationships with neighbouring countries. The forthcoming declaration of Timorese independence will be one of the great success stories of our Organization and the international community as whole. We believe that the United Nations Mission has been able to create such a positive model for the peacekeeping activities of the Organization. In conclusion, I would like to stress the positive part played by Australia and Portugal in achieving this result. We are also gratified that the President of Indonesia, Ms. Megawati Soekarnoputri, will attend the independence ceremony. This augurs well for the development of positive bilateral relations between those two countries.

It is not customary for the Secretary-General to appear at regular reviews of the East Timor issue; I think his presence here earlier this morning was a very powerful demonstration of the strong support that he and the United Nations have given East Timor — support which has, frankly, brought us to the relatively happy situation that we have today. Perhaps nothing illustrates this better than the presence in the Council today of Mr. Xanana Gusmão and Mr. Mari Alkatiri, and we welcome them here. We also thank them for their candid and enlightening statements. We would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Gusmão personally for his overwhelming victory in the elections for the first President of independent East Timor, and we welcome the commitment of the East Timorese leaders to work together. One clear demonstration of this is the letter that Mr. Gusmão and Mr. Alkatiri sent to the President of the Security Council requesting the Council to authorize a continued peacekeeping presence in East Timor. The Security Council should respond positively to that letter, for, as Mr. Gusmão said earlier, “Our success is your success”. By helping East Timor, the United Nations is, indeed, helping itself, because it is consolidating a major success story. It is unfortunate that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, is not here to receive the well- deserved tributes that have been paid to him this morning. Success was not guaranteed when Mr. Vieira de Mello arrived in East Timor; indeed, the odds were stacked against him. This makes his success even more remarkable. We also want to join our colleagues in congratulating Ambassador Kamalesh Sharma on his appointment. We note that he is a very tall man, with a very distinguished record in public service; but I think he should know that he will have some big shoes to fill when he goes to East Timor. We also want to thank Assistant Secretary- General Hédi Annabi for introducing the Secretary- General’s report and for his comprehensive briefing. Once again, the Secretary-General has produced another excellent report on East Timor; it provides an insightful analysis of the situation of East Timor just before its independence on 20 May. We are all well aware of the progress that East Timor has made in the past two and a half years. In paragraph 2 of his report in document S/2002/432, the Secretary-General described it as moving “from widespread devastation to the establishment of the foundations for the administration of a new country and to the rehabilitation of a basic infrastructure that can support economic and social activity.” At the same time, the Secretary-General is also spot-on in highlighting, in paragraph 3 of the report, that “a number of issues that present challenges to the short- and longer-term security and stability of the new State have not yet and could not have been fully resolved. These range from border demarcation, return of refugees and regulation of commercial activity in the border area, to strengthening of nascent governmental structures, including law enforcement and the judicial system, as well as the consolidation of the framework for economic and social development.” The Secretary-General concludes that “It is therefore essential for the international community to remain engaged in East Timor for some time beyond independence, to ensure stability and to build upon the achievements of UNTAET.” We are pleased that a strong consensus is developing within the Council that we, the Council members, should support the recommendations of the Secretary-General; that has clearly been demonstrated in all the statements that we have heard so far. The picture is plain for all of us to see. While East Timor has made significant progress, we cannot, as of now, say that it will be a viable nation State immediately on independence. The lesson of the history of the past few decades is relatively clear: independence, even if it comes after a hard-fought struggle, may still be a relatively easy victory. Success after independence, unfortunately, has been relatively rare. There is therefore a great deal more for the United Nations and the international community to do to help East Timor to fully get on its feet. The actors who have brought East Timor to where it is today should not shy away from the responsibility of continuing their support for the leaders and people of East Timor as they work to build a viable and sustainable State. This will, of course, include the maintenance by the United Nations of a strong peacekeeping presence to consolidate and strengthen stability in post-independence East Timor, as well as the presence of United Nations agencies, funds and programmes and bilateral and other donors to provide assistance for further building up East Timor’s economic and social structures. The dangers of premature withdrawal and disengagement from East Timor are too serious for such a move even to be contemplated. East Timor could unravel, and all its achievements and the investments made by the international community would go to waste. The fragility of East Timor should not be underestimated. As the saying goes, “Prevention is better than cure” — and it is certainly much less costly. Peace and stability in East Timor is also crucial for the peace and stability of the entire region; they are closely intertwined. How the United Nations and the international community handle East Timor will have repercussions for the region as a whole. A viable and secure East Timor will contribute to the stability of the region and help it in its efforts to consolidate its new- found independence. Clearly the whole region has a stake in East Timor’s success. The Secretary-General has also made a very strong case in his report, in great detail, for the proposed mandate, structure, size and planned reconfiguration of the United Nations successor peacekeeping mission in East Timor after independence. The mission is appropriately called United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET). It is noteworthy that the Secretary-General has not only maintained the proposals that had been gathered in support by the Security Council in its presidential statement of October 2001, but he has also added important flesh to the bones. The details contained in his report show the amount of meticulous effort that has gone into the planning of UNMISET, and all those involved should be commended and congratulated. To the Secretary-General’s credit, it is hard to see how his proposals can be faulted for the lack of any necessary details. Each of his proposals has been more than adequately justified. What remains is for the Security Council to give its unanimous endorsement of UNMISET, as proposed by the Secretary-General, to fulfil the mandate and key programmes required. In a nutshell, it is a Mission with a civilian component that includes a Civilian Support Group of 100 core functions and a Serious Crimes Unit; a military component of 5,000 troops; and a civilian police component of 1,250 officers at the very start, which will be gradually downsized over a two-year period, according to a milestone-based approach. But there is one other important point that we would like to stress this morning. The drawdown of UNMISET should be based on the realities of the situation on the ground, and not carried out mechanically according to some abstract timetable. We cannot tell the future as we sit here. We cannot tell what the situation will be like in East Timor or in its vicinity a year from now. We should be sensitive and flexible as we work on the continued commitment of the United Nations to East Timor. There is no doubt that a significant United Nations security presence is essential in post- independence East Timor. While the security environment continues to improve, internal and external threats to East Timor still exist. Come independence, East Timor will be — and this is natural — a fledgling democracy. There is every potential for domestic law and order as well as external security problems to arise. The East Timor Defence Force and the East Timor Police Service are still in their infancy and will, quite naturally, take some time to become fully operational. This process will be even lengthier if international material and financial support for their full establishment is not forthcoming. Scaling down the United Nations military and civilian police presence too quickly therefore could entail the serious risk of jeopardizing the stability and security that has been achieved due precisely to such a presence. Indeed, it is not inconceivable that those who are intent on mischief could be lying low until the United Nations reduces its security presence. As such, downsizing the United Nations military and police presence, on the basis of clear benchmarks, is the only appropriate approach to take. We believe that the Security Council should particularly bear in mind the important benchmark of the demarcation of the border and the establishment of an effective border control system. The requirement for a Civilian Support Group of 100 core positions to be included in the civilian component of the following United Nations peacekeeping operation is also well justified. As stated in the Secretary-General’s report, these core functions are critical to the viability of the Government, political stability and the provision of basic services. We note also that Mr. Gusmão and Mr. Alkatiri, in the letter that they both sent, also highlighted the importance of these 100 civilian posts. The first few years of any nation are a testing time. Hence, while the United Nations should not continue its Transitional Administration role in East Timor after independence, it is critical that the United Nations continue to provide the assistance necessary to ensure the sustainability of the administrative institutions and the completion of the required tasks. When all is said and done, what the Security Council must do — and this is our obligation — is to give its clear endorsement of the recommendations of the Secretary-General for the establishment of UNMISET. This is a historic opportunity for the Council to reaffirm its pledge to make East Timor a real success story. We all know that this means a continuing strong United Nations presence and engagement in post-independence East Timor. Often questions are asked about the value of having open debates in this chamber such as the one we are having today. But if the result of this morning’s discussion is to redouble the commitment of the Council to ensuring the success of East Timor, then I would say that the debate that we have been having this morning has indeed been a very valuable exercise.

I should like to inform participants that we will be meeting until 1 p.m., at which point the meeting will be suspended. It will be resumed at the beginning of next week.

In the first hour of 20 May 2002, the flag of the United Nations will be lowered in East Timor and the flag of a new nation raised as a new country attains independence. That ceremony of transition will be the culmination of a tremendous effort carried out by the people of East Timor and by the international community. This has been a successful experience, and it is cause for rejoicing on the part of the United Nations. In the difficult times now facing the international community, when violence and unyielding opposition in other regions are posing tremendous challenges for the United Nations — challenges that it must overcome in order to maintain its credibility — world public opinion views East Timor as a success story that has brought to life the goals and aspirations embodied in the Charter of the United Nations. My delegations would like to welcome the President-elect of East Timor, Mr. Xanana Gusmão, and Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri. In doing so, my country would like to pay tribute to the people of East Timor for the broad participation and smooth conduct of the presidential elections held on 14 April last, which represented the last stage before the declaration of independence. I would also like to express my country’s support for the new authorities in discharging all of the tasks that still remain before them. The path that has been travelled was beset with anguish; at times it was bloody, but ultimately our efforts were crowned with success. Nevertheless, the task remaining is an even greater one — the construction of an independent nation that will be a viable member of the international community. The task remains to consolidate the public administration and to train the staff in the judiciary, so as to ensure justice and the rule of law for the inhabitants and citizens of East Timor. Land ownership will also have to be regulated, for this will make economic activity much easier, and, equally important, it will also attract foreign investment to promote social development. The reintegration of the former combatants is also an important element. Their access to public assistance programmes must be facilitated. My country attaches equal importance to the return of refugees and to their resettlement, to the regulation of commercial activity in the border areas, to transport agreements between Dili and Oecussi and between Dili and the island of Atauro, as well as to the establishment of a framework for cooperation in different fields that will redound to the benefit of the friendship between East Timor and other peoples. My country would like to express its gratitude to United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) for the important role it played throughout the process of achieving independence. I would also like to convey special thanks and tribute to the head of the mission, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, for his efforts as leader. We wish him success in his new endeavours. The inclusion in the new mission of civil, police and military components that will be reduced as the goals and objectives are attained properly reflects the vision expressed on many occasions with regard to designing appropriate exit strategies, and it includes the concept of strategic association between all United Nations bodies and the new authorities of East Timor. As we have said before, we fully support the mandate and structure proposed by the Secretariat, including extending assistance to East Timor to consolidate the country’s stability and the viability of its public administration. We fully support also the establishment of a law-enforcement body, which will conduct its activities in keeping with international human rights standards, and contributions to maintaining internal and external security. These are fundamental tasks that will be taken over by the East Timor Defence Force in June 2004. Similarly, I would like to wish success to the new head of the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), Mr. Kamalesh Sharma, whose well-known ability leads us to have full confidence in the success of his mission. To the recently elected authorities of East Timor, I would like to convey Mexico’s commitment to continue to support efforts to consolidate the new State. Several Mexicans have already worked with the Independent Electoral Commission to train personnel. That Commission is now ready to take charge of future elections. Mexico’s Federal Electoral Institute also provided some material assistance to the electoral process through the United Nations. Mexico will continue to explore ways of cooperating with the authorities of East Timor and will support the efforts of the United Nations. We undertake this commitment so that my country’s experience in various development areas may help achieve the aspiration of the inhabitants of East Timor to an independent, free and prosperous country. The donors’ meeting to be held shortly will be attended by a representative of Mexico and will be an excellent opportunity to remind the international community of the need to support economic and social development, reduce poverty, and guarantee the independence and self-determination of East Timor. We hope to be present on 20 May to celebrate the proclamation of independence with the people of East Timor.

We would like to associate ourselves with the previous speakers in warmly congratulating the President-elect of East Timor, Mr. Xanana Gusmão, and Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri. We would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his statement and the comprehensive and detailed report he has presented on the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). We would also like to thank Mr. Hédi Annabi for his comprehensive presentation this morning. Of course, we cannot fail to pay tribute to the efforts by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, his team and the entire staff of UNTAET in East Timor. I would also like very sincerely to congratulate our brother Ambassador Kamalesh Sharma, who will be leading the future successor mission to UNTAET. We are all familiar with his ability, wisdom, and competency. We wish him every success in carrying out this happy mission for the East Timorese people. The success achieved by the United Nations in arriving where we are today in East Timor should not preclude our understanding that the task is not yet complete. There remains a great deal to be done in terms of providing support to that country. In that connection, we must commend the Special Committee on Decolonization, which worked hard for many years to bring about the independence of East Timor, for its contribution. My delegation is also pleased to note the progress achieved as described in the report of the Secretary- General, in particular with regard to consolidating the political and institutional structures of the new State. That progress is reflected in the adoption of the constitution, the election of the first President and the devolution of many executive functions to the people of East Timor. The international community must continue to follow developments in post-independence East Timor in order to guarantee stability and to consolidate the achievements of the Transitional Administration. Preparations are under way for the celebration of Independence Day on 20 May 2002, the historic occasion when the flag of East Timor will be raised and when the new President will take up his functions. It is worth mentioning that once East Timor enjoys security and stability, it will make an important contribution to the stability of the entire region and will complement the efforts made by the region to overcome the political and economic problems it now faces. We must therefore view the start of bilateral and trilateral discussions between East Timor, Indonesia and Australia against the background of the satisfaction expressed by the Secretary-General at those talks. We feel that a close dialogue of this type must be pursued for the sake of promoting friendship among these countries in the future. We greatly appreciate the words we heard this morning regarding the participation of the President of friendly Indonesia in the dialogue, as her participation is extremely significant. My delegation supports the mandate, plan, principles and operational elements proposed in the report for the successor mission. As for the role of the United Nations in the post-independence period, we must emphasize the need to continue providing development assistance and to provide all the necessary support in the first three years after independence. That will be necessary to create in East Timor a police force and a defence force able to fully defend East Timor and insure stability and prospects for a better future. In conclusion, my delegation will have the honour of participating in the 20 May celebrations, when we all celebrate Timorese independence. We will be sending a delegation to represent the Syrian Arab Republic on that historic occasion. Let us hope that God blesses the people of Timor and the Government of East Timor.

I would like to thank Mr. Hédi Annabi for his clear and precise statement, which provided a perfect account of the superb work carried out by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) under the direction of Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello. We are sure that after independence, his successor — whom we know well, Ambassador Kamalesh Sharma — will show himself to be equal to the task. I should like to welcome President-elect Gusmão. We are deeply honoured that he has chosen New York for one of his first trips abroad. The independence of East Timor — so long awaited and so desired — will leave the Council with just one regret: that the future Ambassador of East Timor will replace the leaders of East Timor in the Chamber. However, the doors of the Council Chamber will always remain open to the East Timorese leaders. I would also like to welcome Mr. Mari Alkatiri. The presence side by side today of the President and the Chief Minister is the clearest proof of the balance of the East Timorese institutions. The impeccable manner in which the presidential elections of 14 April were carried out, with a record rate of participation of more than 86 per cent, confirmed the great political maturity of the young Timorese democracy. The President and the Chief Minister will be able to tackle with confidence the great priorities of an independent East Timor: national reconciliation, the integration of the country into its regional and international environment, and economic development. I extend France’s best wishes to them. The Ambassador of Spain will later make a statement on behalf of the European Union. We fully associate ourselves with that statement. I will therefore limit my statement to a few comments. First, on 20 May, East Timor will become independent. The United Nations will gain its 190th Member. What a long way we have come in two and a half years. The United Nations was able to adapt to the situation. The working groups in Dili and New York have done a good job. The recommendations of the Secretary-General now meet our expectations. Secondly, a genuine exit strategy has been presented to the Council. It will make it possible to assist the new State effectively. All the elements are included: a specific timetable spanning two years, stages accompanied by measurable objectives, a division of competences between the United Nations Mission, the Bretton Woods system and the international financial institutions. Other actors who are not mentioned in the report can also make their contribution. I am thinking in particular of the regional organizations, the Association of South-East Asian Nations and the Asian Development Bank. Thirdly, France will fully support the draft resolution containing all these elements, which the United Kingdom delegation announced it would soon submit. But we also expect that things will not end there. The Secretariat must continue to assess the situation periodically in order to make the necessary adjustments. The next time the Council addresses the issue of East Timor, East Timor will be independent. We must work on this new success with the authorities of East Timor. The international community will see its role thoroughly transformed. Less than in the past will it be a task of substituting for the East Timorese authorities; rather, there will be a greater need to assist them. Other actors will also see their role grow. It would be useful to hold discussions on this with them. I propose that at our next discussion an invitation be extended to representatives of the United Nations Development Programme, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to discuss the issue of East Timor, as we have done in the past.

At the outset I would like to thank the Secretary-General, President-elect Xanana Gusmão, Mr. Annabi and Mr. Alkatiri for their statements to the Council this morning. Allow me also to congratulate Mr. Gusmão on his election as the first President of an independent East Timor, as well as the East Timorese people and the United Nations for the excellent manner in which the presidential elections were carried out earlier this month. This is indeed a promising sign for the future of a democratic and stable East Timor. Norway commends the Secretary-General for his report of 17 April 2002. It contains recommendations as to a clear and achievable mandate for the successor mission to United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), and it provides an exit strategy with benchmarks for the gradual downsizing of the mission. In our view, this is an outstanding example of mission planning. Moreover, the consultative planning process and the Integrated Mission Task Force have clearly contributed to the comprehensive nature of the recommendations, including the call for coordination to ensure a smooth transition towards a framework for medium- and long- term development assistance. Norway supports the mandate, structure and overall timetable for the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) as set out in the Secretary General’s report. We fully concur with the view that a peacekeeping presence is necessary until the national police and armed forces gain the capacity required to enforce the law and ensure internal and external security. At the same time, we are pleased with the report’s indication that UNTAET’s presence will be reduced from the current level and that the report offers a sensible schedule for reducing the international presence while transferring responsibilities to the East Timorese. Sustainable transition will require the effective Timorization of all public institutions. Under the current circumstances the establishment of a well functioning public administration continues to be the greatest challenge for the United Nations in East Timor. This is also a key prerequisite for the new State’s long-term stability. The proposed downscaling should therefore be undertaken on the basis of an in-depth assessment of the challenges faced by, and of the corresponding capacity within, the national administration. Needless to say, revisions should be made in close cooperation with the East Timorese authorities. Finally, the need to prioritize training of personnel to fill the large gaps in the staff of the administration is urgent and cannot be overemphasised. Peaceful and constructive relations between East Timor and Indonesia are crucial for the stability and prosperity of the region. We are therefore pleased that bilateral relations between the two nations continue to improve. The bilateral meeting in February was a positive step in that regard. Notwithstanding this, there are still pending bilateral issues. We would here like to underscore the importance of the ongoing negotiations on judicial cooperation to permit the prosecution of alleged perpetrators of serious crimes committed in 1999. Another urgent matter is the completion of border demarcation and normalization in the border areas. We therefore welcome the recent launch of the border demarcation survey. We share the Secretary-General’s assessment that, in addition to the support provided by the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) and the United Nations development agencies, bilateral development assistance will be crucial for the establishment of sustainable Government structures and institutions. My Government hosted the donors meeting for East Timor in December 2001. We now stand ready to fulfil our assurances of continued assistance, and we urge other countries to do the same. To facilitate future development cooperation, the Norwegian Minister for International Development, Ms. Hilde Johnson, intends to sign a memorandum of understanding during the donors conference to be held in Dili in May. Justice, reconciliation and effective accountability are essential elements of East Timor’s long-term stability. Norway attaches great importance to the work undertaken by the Serious Crimes Unit and the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation. Accordingly, my Government provides both human and financial resources to those institutions, and we support the Secretary-General’s proposal to accord efforts within the justice sector high priority, including after independence. Nevertheless, the lack of qualified personnel continues to be a matter of concern. In that regard, we welcome the short-term measures undertaken by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to reduce the current backlog in the appeal court. In the longer run, however, the international community will need to work to support much-needed capacity-building in the justice sector. I should like to conclude by congratulating Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello and by expressing Norway’s appreciation for the outstanding way in which he has led the Mission since 1999. We would also like to welcome the newly appointed Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Kamalesh Sharma, and to wish him every success in his assignment. Finally, I should like to applaud the leadership and people of East Timor for the impressive progress achieved thus far and to assure them that my Government will continue to support their efforts to consolidate the foundations of a stable and fully functioning democratic State.

This meeting of the Council is taking place at a particularly important and encouraging time in the history of East Timor. My delegation welcomes in particular the presence of Mr. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão and Mr. Mari Alkatiri — President-elect and Chief Minister, respectively, of East Timor — and thanks them for their very encouraging statements on the positive development of the situation in their country. Mr. Gusmão represents the conscience of a new East Timor, and that conscience is found in the words of wisdom that he expressed at the end of 1999: “I advocate dialogue, reconciliation and, once justice has been done, pardon. Ten years from now, we will be able to say: it is the past.” My country, Guinea, awaits with interest and enthusiasm the accession of East Timor to independence on 20 May 2002, which will also mark Mr. Gusmão’s inauguration. My delegation is convinced that he will always remember the words that I have just cited. We wish him every success in the noble and delicate mission that awaits him, and we assure him of our support. East Timor’s independence will be a historic event and a great victory for the United Nations, whose contribution was crucial throughout the transition process. My delegation would like to pay a well- deserved tribute to all of those who have contributed enormous efforts to achieve that success. We are thinking in particular of Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello as well as the entire staff of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), local elected officials and, above all, the people of East Timor. I should also like to congratulate our friend, Ambassador Kamalesh Sharma, for his nomination to the post of Special Representative of the Secretary- General. My delegation has no doubt that he will succeed in his efforts, given his outstanding qualities and his extensive experience. The establishment of the Constituent Assembly, the adoption of the Constitution and the election of Mr. Gusmão, which mark the culmination of the efforts of the people of East Timor in their struggle for independence, represent a decisive stage in the peace process and in the democratization and reconstruction of the country. My delegation welcomes the progress made in East Timor. However, in the context of the challenges that will have to be met to ensure a stable and prosperous East Timor, we should like to stress the following observations. Cooperation among the leading bodies should be encouraged. Support should be given to the actions of the Council of Ministers in the areas of justice, security, health, education, economic and social development and defence. Steps should be taken to avoid duplication between the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation and the Reconciliation and Repatriation Liaison Team within the framework of refugee management. The various East Timorese, Indonesian and Australian parties, together with the United Nations, must continue dialogue on issues of common interest. We encourage them to shoulder their responsibilities with a view to facilitating the development of East Timor and to promoting security and stability in the region. With regard to the socio-economic development of East Timor, my delegation believes that bilateral and multilateral assistance remains indispensable, with a particular emphasis on education and health. Furthermore, the dual objectives set out by the Planning Commission — encouraging strong economic growth and reducing poverty — should be supported. In that regard, we hope that the donors meeting to be held in Dili on 14 and 15 May 2002 will represent an opportunity to respond positively to the financing of the national development plan, the medium-term fiscal framework and the annual budget for 2002-2003. Moreover, my delegation is convinced that the international community will remain committed to East Timor after independence to consolidate the gains already made. In that regard, we encourage continued reflection by the New York and Dili planning teams, and we support the role of the United Nations as described in chapter III of the Secretary-General’s report. My delegation believes that all projects of the agencies and funds of the United Nations system should attach high priority to capacity-building, the development of human resources, the strengthening of institutions and the elaboration of consistent policies. However, we think that the development of the situation and experience in the field will enlighten us best as to possible additional action to be taken by the international community. My delegation notes with interest that the continuation of United Nations action in East Timor will be possible only with adequate financial means. Therefore, we hope that the General Assembly will attach particular attention to this issue in examining both the proposal to end UNTAET and the proposed budget for UNMISET for the period 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003. Finally, my delegation fully supports the relevant observations made by the Secretary-General in his report. In particular, we endorse the establishment of the successor mission for an initial period of 12 months.

At the outset, I should like to welcome the presence here today of Mr. Xanana Gusmão, President- elect of East Timor. I am pleased to extend our congratulations to him. In a few weeks, he will be sworn in as the President of East Timor. I am sure that he will continue to embody the lines of Horace: “To have begun is to be half done; dare to know. Start!” I should also like to welcome the presence of Mr. Mari Alkatiri, Chief Minister of the Transitional Government and head of the majority in Parliament. We have learned a great deal from his important statement. Our meeting today is historic in more ways than one. It provides us with an opportunity to demonstrate to international public opinion the Security Council’s capacity to build and maintain peace and security. Launched in dramatic conditions on 15 September 1999, the actions of the Council and the United Nations in East Timor will enjoy a happy ending on 20 May with the advent of the independence of East Timor and the swearing-in of President Gusmão. Today’s success would not have been possible without the efficiency, dedication and tenacity of the civilian and military components of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). Cameroon extends its heartfelt gratitude and sincere congratulations to them all. I should like to take this opportunity to associate myself with the sincere tribute paid to Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNTAET, for his work and outstanding success. I wish him much happiness and success in his new activities. The results achieved in East Timor since 1999 and, in particular, over the past few months are most telling. They include a multilateral financial mobilization of well over $1 billion; peace in the territory; the relaunching of economic activity; the establishment of a Transitional Government; and, last but not least, the presidential election of 14 April. These are all historic milestones marking the emergence on the international stage of a new nation. All of these achievements must be consolidated. The fact that the Timorese are now masters of their own destiny should not lead the international community to abandon its role in assisting them. The highly relevant paragraph 4 of the Secretary- General’s report in document S/2002/80 says, in part, that: “the comparative fragility of the political foundations of this new country, its very limited pool of professional and administrative expertise, lack of strong independent security mechanisms and nascent state of economic development mean that East Timor will continue to require significant assistance from the international community well after independence, in order to ensure stability and realize the potential for progress that has been generated over the past two years.” The independence of East Timor, far from entailing an end to the United Nations commitment, marks instead the beginning of a new phase of significant and sustained assistance from the United Nations in order to ensure that the results are preserved in the long term. That is why Cameroon thanks the Secretary-General for his statement and for the high quality of his report. The delegation of Cameroon fully endorses the creation of the new United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor, including its financial implications, and supports the other recommendations contained in the report. It is gratifying that the United Nations will keep a mission in East Timor beyond 20 May. I congratulate my friend and colleague Ambassador Kamalesh Sharma on his nomination by the Secretary-General to succeed Mr. Vieira de Mello. It is perfectly clear that Mr. Sharma, as a man of great experience, attentiveness and persuasiveness and therefore of great human value, will be able to provide the Timorese with all due support and to assist them in persuading the donor community — within which, fortunately, he has many friends — to continue, increase and strengthen its financial and technical assistance to that young country. I hope that our friends from East Timor will continue to keep their country’s noble mission in mind through the spirit of dialogue, openness, tolerance and joint management that they have clearly displayed in recent weeks, to the satisfaction of all. I wish them all the best. In conclusion, I reiterate my country’s great pleasure at seeing the approach of independence for East Timor on 20 May. That date is also Cameroon’s national holiday. This year, our countries will be celebrating on 20 May; beginning in 2002, each year our countries will display their patriotic fervour on the same day. In anticipation of 20 May 2002, Cameroon — impatiently awaiting the reception of East Timor into the great family of nations — assures Mr. Gusmão of its resolve to enjoy relations of trust and close cooperation with his country.

The Chinese delegation warmly welcomes President- elect Xanana Gusmão and Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri to New York to participate in our meeting today. We thank them for their statements. We also wish to thank the Secretary-General for his statement and Assistant Secretary-General Annabi for his briefing and introduction of the Secretary- General’s report. Like other colleagues, we warmly congratulate Mr. Gusmão on his election as the first President-elect of East Timor by an overwhelming majority in the balloting held on 14 April. The successful holding of the election was a landmark in East Timor’s progress towards independence and a vivid demonstration of the fact that the East Timorese people have taken their destiny into their own hands. We wish the East Timorese people every success, under the leadership of Mr. Xanana Gusmão and the East Timorese Government, in overcoming the difficulties that lie ahead of them, so that newly born East Timor can embark on the path towards stability, democracy and sustainable development. As a fledgling State, East Timor will face multiple challenges in terms of political, economic and social development for an extended period of time, even after its independence. It will require continued attention and assistance on the part of the international community. Therefore, the United Nations must maintain a certain level of presence in East Timor. This is now the common view of all members of the Council. In light of the development of the East Timorese situation, the Secretary-General proposed the establishment of the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) as the follow-up mechanism of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), and he has elaborated in detail on the scale of its mandate and its structure. He has put forward a mandate implementation plan and specifically identified three major tasks for UNMISET. He also sets out a very clear exit strategy for UNMISET. Emphasis is placed on enhancing East Timor’s capacity-building, with a view to helping East Timor undertake, as soon as possible, nation-building in the areas of administration, justice and security. The ideas contained in the report of the Secretary-General are well thought out and meet the urgent needs of post-independence Timor. We agree with his proposal, and we hope that the Council will adopt a relevant draft resolution as soon as possible so as to ensure that UNMISET can carry out its work in a timely manner. In discussing UNMISET’s mandate, we would like to express our profound appreciation and gratitude to UNTAET for the outstanding contribution it has made to the independence of East Timor. We would especially like to thank Special Representative Vieira de Mello for his outstanding leadership and tenacious spirit. The experience of peacekeeping and peace- building accumulated by UNTAET in East Timor will be a valuable asset for the United Nations. We welcome the new assignment of Ambassador Sharma, and we wish him success. The Chinese people have always been friendly towards the East Timorese people. The high-level delegation headed by China’s Foreign Minister, Tang Jiaxuan, will participate in East Timor’s independence ceremony to share in the exuberance of the East Timorese people. China would like to establish and develop normal State-to-State relations with East Timor, on the basis of the principles of mutual respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non- aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence. In the process of independence for East Timor, China has provided assistance, to the extent of its ability, including material donations and the training of administrative personnel. As pointed out in the Secretary-General’s report it will still be essential for the international community to provide assistance to East Timor even after its independence. The Chinese Government will work in close coordination with the United Nations and, together with the rest of the international community, continue to work towards the social stability and economic development of East Timor.

I would like first to thank the Secretary-General, President-elect Gusmão and Chief Minister Alkatiri for their important statements this morning. Ireland warmly congratulates the President- elect on his election. We also wish to congratulate the people of East Timor for the way in which they have taken ownership of democratic structures, substance and spirit. I would also wish to join other colleagues in expressing warm thanks to Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, for the very special work he is about to complete. We welcome the decision to appoint Ambassador Sharma as the next Special Representative for East Timor and look forward to working with him. Ireland is also grateful to Assistant Secretary-General Annabi for his comprehensive introduction of the report of the Secretary-General this morning. Ireland associates itself fully with the statement which will be delivered shortly by the representative of Spain on behalf of the European Union. It is only a matter of weeks before East Timor becomes an independent State. This will be an occasion of real joy for the friends of East Timor around the world, including in my country. The principle of self- determination is one to which we attach great importance. This, combined with strong support in Ireland for the people of East Timor, has ensured that developments there have been followed closely in my country for many years. The main task before us today is the consideration of the Secretary-General’s recent report on the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). In particular, we need to address the plan for the successor mission, the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET). My delegation welcomes the fact that the Secretary-General’s approach to future United Nations involvement in East Timor remains fully consistent with the strong proposals he first outlined last October. We believe that the Secretary-General justifies these proposals well in his most recent report. We agree that the continued United Nations presence should be a robust one. The report is clear in pointing out the very real needs of East Timor in the area of public administration, internal security and law enforcement, and external security and border control. There is an enormous capacity-building challenge — the construction of institutions of State from the very foundation up — which can be met only by strong and sustained international support. In this respect, Ireland is generally content with the phased timetable of the United Nations follow-on operation. This is not the occasion to enter into detail. However, the timetable recognizes that there is still plenty of work to do, and we believe that it provides for measured assessments to be made along the way. We further believe that, in its approach to the United Nations post-independence presence, the Council should err on the side of caution and demonstrate generous amounts of patience. The development of East Timor’s relationship with Indonesia is of great importance to it, including to its economic well-being. We wish to see both countries working to improve links and to resolve outstanding bilateral issues, including the delineation of the border and cooperation on bringing to justice those responsible for serious crimes. Ireland has welcomed the steps taken by the Government of Indonesia to bring to justice the perpetrators of gross human rights violations in East Timor. However, we can only echo the Secretary-General’s regret that the jurisdiction of the Ad Hoc Human Rights Tribunal has not been expanded to include several significant cases that occurred in 1999. Also of great importance is the need for the East Timorese people to address the internal differences that peaked during the violence of September 1999. The establishment of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation is a very positive step in this regard, although it will require financial and personnel support if it is to have a substantial impact. We are watching in great admiration as the people of East Timor progress towards independence. The latest report of the Secretary-General gives a strong sense of the real advances being made. It has to be borne in mind, though, that many hard tests lie ahead. East Timor is one of the least developed countries in the region. It needs support, as the President-elect and Chief Minister emphasized this morning, and it must receive that support. In this regard, Ireland is one of those already involved in a range of development cooperation programmes in East Timor. This has been the case since 1999, and last year we opened a representative office in Dili. Our experience there has shown us that bilateral aid is crucial to the future development of East Timor. East Timor has already been identified by Ireland’s development aid programme as a priority for reconstruction and rehabilitation activity. That cooperation aims to alleviate the material consequences of the recent conflict and contribute towards the immediate needs of political development and institutional capacity-building, while also helping to create the conditions for an appropriate longer-term engagement by Ireland Aid in East Timor. As we move towards East Timor’s independence, we should also dwell today, as others have, a little on the honourable role played by the United Nations. The exceptional work carried out by United Nations personnel before and since September 1999, together with the determination of the people of East Timor, have brought us to the point where the Secretary- General can now propose that we move to a new stage. Today is, therefore, also a time to pay warm tribute to all involved over the years in United Nations efforts. I also want to express the gratitude of my authorities to the United Nations and Member States for the expressions of sympathy we have received following the recent death in East Timor of Private Peadar Ó Flatharta, a member of the Irish contingent of UNTAET. The tragic loss reminds us of the risks that United Nations peacekeepers assume in the service of the United Nations. Ireland will continue its support for East Timor on a bilateral basis and through the multinational organizations of which we will soon both be members. Before then, though, we wish to reiterate our support for the Secretary-General’s observations and recommendations for the United Nations continued engagement with East Timor. We believe and hope that the Council will do likewise. In doing so, we can allow the President-elect and the Chief Minister to leave here today with confidence that the international community will continue to stand by and support East Timor and her people.

I will not read my statement in my capacity as the representative of the Russian Federation. I hope that our East Timorese friends will understand me correctly. I fully associate myself with all the kind words addressed to them here, and with the words of gratitude to the Secretary- General, Hédi Annabi, Sergio Vieira de Mello and Kamalesh Sharma. I also associate myself with the assessments contained in the Secretary-General’s report, which the members of the Council have also expressed. We are ready to work actively on those recommendations in order to adopt the draft resolution on the new Mission so that the United Nations can continue to support East Timor following independence. Given the lateness of the hour and commitments that I cannot cancel, I wish to propose the following. In the light of the requests made by some of the Council members on my list and in the light of the fact that His Excellency Xanana Gusmão must leave us very soon, I propose that he make a few comments in response. When he has finished, I will have to leave the Chamber. If the members of the Council agree, then Minister Konuzin can continue to chair the meeting until 1.30 p.m. I call on the President-elect of East Timor, Mr. Gusmão. Mr. Gusmão: On behalf of the people of East Timor, we would like to thank the members for their advice, recommendations and words of congratulations offered in their interventions. I repeat to the members that our success is, and will be, their success. We will continue to rely heavily on the Council’s support, and we assure it that in everything we are committed to doing our best in building the democratic State of East Timor. I thank the members of the Council very much for their support and kind words. Again, we will work together.

The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Portugal. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Let me start by thanking you, Mr. President, for organizing this meeting and the Assistant Secretary-General, Mr. Hédi Annabi, for his very comprehensive and useful briefing. The presidency of the European Union will make a statement after mine on the situation in East Timor. Allow me to add some remarks on behalf of my own country. I would like to take advantage of this occasion to extend a very special greeting to President-elect Xanana Gusmão. We are used to seeing distinguished guests seated in those chairs, some of them historically important in the life of their countries. The members of the Council may understand how pleased I am, as a Portuguese ambassador, to have the opportunity to see here today the newly and democratically elected President of a territory which for a long time my country had wanted to see free and independent. President Xanana Gusmão, as well as Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri, are the legitimate voices of a courageous people whom my Government wishes to praise and salute. Their visit to New York, on the eve of East Timor’s independence, is a tribute to the United Nations contribution to their country’s cause. It is also a fresh opportunity to hear their important reading of the current situation in the territory. The next time the Security Council meets on East Timor, it will probably be to approve the mandate for a United Nations mission in the country after independence. We very much expect that this mandate will guarantee the necessary conditions for the fulfilment of the obligations created by the international community to the East Timorese situation. Today seems like the right time to look back and to briefly evaluate the work the United Nations has done in East Timor to date, not to benefit history, but to draw some lessons for the future. I do not think I need to go into details, as most of the facts are well known to us all. Throughout recent years, the Secretary- General has presented a full account not only of United Nations efforts and achievements, but also of the steps necessary to guarantee a smooth transition to the independence of East Timor. The Timorese themselves have on several occasions contributed their own experience and expectations to this Council. We all recognize that East Timor is in a much better situation today than it was three years ago and that most of that improvement is due to United Nations efforts. It is easy to read in the reports of the Secretary- General how many schools have been rebuilt, how many roads have been repaired, how many civil servants have been recruited, and to simply take that for granted. It is easy to look upon that lightly, without realizing how much it means to East Timor, how difficult it was to achieve and — I need to stress this — how complex it will be to sustain. Calling the United Nations role in East Timor so far a success is already a platitude — a success that is not without flaws or gaps, but still an obvious success. We have always said that we should be careful not to create a future situation in which all these efforts might be jeopardized and wasted. I want to take this occasion to reiterate once more Portugal’s appreciation for the excellent work of the Special Representatives of the Secretary-General throughout this entire process, from Ambassador Jamsheed Marker and Ian Martin, to Sergio Vieira de Mello. It was their dedication and skills which made it possible to carry out the United Nations mandate in East Timor. They did it at different times, but always under strenuous conditions. The recent appointment of my colleague and friend, Ambassador Kamalesh Sharma, as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the post- independence period gives me the guarantee that this work will be furthered with the same ability. The Secretary-General will have a distinguished and outstanding diplomat, a man of good will and exceptional experience, to represent him and to be the face and the voice of the international community in East Timor. We wish him all the best, and I want to assure him of our full cooperation in his very demanding task. The case of East Timor has very painfully earned the international community’s support. I am sure that the Council agrees with me that the Timorese have proved to us that that support was totally deserved. Anyone who has followed the process knows that we are in the presence of a people of incredible courage and tolerance, with leaders of remarkable vision and commitment. I believe we can consider the democratic process in East Timor to be exemplary. The presidential election of 14 April was just one more instance of this. However, a new democracy is not merely a question of new institutions; it is also about the capacity to face internal political conflicts and disagreements and to wisely manage the difficult periods — despite the lack of resources and given the many expectations. It will require an adjustment in mentality and adequate material conditions on a sustained basis if it is to bear fruit. Difficult to establish, a democracy is even more difficult to sustain and to strengthen. That is why we believe that the emerging institutions in East Timor, created under the responsibility of the United Nations, must continue to be protected and supported — not for too long, but for as long as is needed for us to be able to say that the work of the international community and its main organizations there is complete. The United Nations, working with the international community, is responsible for keeping an adequate presence in East Timor and for supporting it after independence. Portugal welcomes the report of the Secretary-General and supports its recommendations for the establishment of the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET). I believe it is worth underlining the consistent manner in which this presence was planned. About a year ago, a concept was outlined and was subsequently developed into what we now have in front of us: a clear and reasonable road map for the two years ahead of us. We welcome the fact that this road map provides a milestone-based approach, focused on specific targets and on-the-ground assessments. On security aspects, I would underline the need to develop and strengthen the East Timorese institutions. Well-trained police and defence forces that respect human rights and civilian supervision are a requirement not only for the sustainability of true independence but also for guaranteeing democracy and the rule of law. Since the United Nations police and military will have executive as well as training functions, it will be very important to clearly define arrangements guiding the relationship between them and the Timorese forces, namely, command and control mechanisms. We encourage the efforts under way to finalize these arrangements before independence. The calm situation and the fact that there have been no recent security incidents related to militia activity from West Timor should not fool us into thinking that there are no risks at all to the security and stability of East Timor. We firmly believe that the current situation is the result of the presence of a robust United Nations peacekeeping force and the deterrent effect that it has had during almost three years of operation. After 20 May, the international lights will start fading over East Timor. As soon as the situation in the new country becomes one of business as usual in the eyes of the international community, the Council — as is perfectly understandable — will be inclined to put East Timor into its archives. But what will happen if things go wrong, if the East Timorese leaders’ efforts — even with the residual support of the international community — prove insufficient to tackle the actions of those who may be interested in disrupting normal life in the territory? How long will the Council take to re-engage by taking a concrete course of action to counter such acts? Why take that risk, given the immense financial and political cost for the future that it might entail? It would also risk the credibility that the United Nations has earned in recent years. We are not asking the Council to consider creating a sort of dependent State — a permanently assisted administration. Very simply, we are asking for the phasing-out of the military and security forces to be undertaken on the basis of a clear assessment of concrete risks, not on the basis of those that are surfacing under current circumstances. In particular, we consider that no final assessment should be made, with practical consequences for capacity on the ground, without taking into account the experience of the first months after the independence. It is not my intention to try to invoke ghosts or to create artificial threats. By nature, we diplomats are interested in being professional optimists but we also want to have permanent reasons to remain such. That is why I want the Council to know that it is my Government’s firm belief that there are important potential security risks that need to be taken fully into account, not only with regard to the external dimension but, increasingly, on the internal front. I do not want to create alarm or sound gloomy, but I must call the attention of the Council to the potential threats that exist in Timorese society that will challenge the new Government very seriously. This is a society where opportunities for the new generation are still lacking, where important sectors of the former resistance and the former administration still tend to feel excluded from the new social, political and economic life, and where a possible new wave of refugees could trigger an immense social problem, with public-security implications. In addition, the new Government will have to deal with the economic and social impact of the drawdown of the international community. Obviously, the international presence will have less and less weight in the local economy, and the Timorese will have to adapt their lives to this new reality. But it is essential to recognize that for the new Government this will represent considerable additional challenges. The extent of those challenges will not be fully known until some time after independence. Regarding the civilian component of UNMISET, I would like to highlight once again the importance of including the Civilian Support Group in it. I do not need to repeat the fundamental importance we attach to these core functions in ensuring that the achievements of the public administration are not jeopardized. We also welcome the intention to include a human rights office, as well as a serious crimes unit, in the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. In the past, I have spoken extensively in the Council about the fundamental importance of justice and the judicial system in East Timor, therefore, and I do not intend to take up more of the Council’s time on this. Before I conclude, I would like to express Portugal’s appreciation for the work that the international financial institutions and the United Nations specialized agencies have accomplished to date in East Timor in their different areas of expertise. We believe that the joint efforts of these institutions, the Secretariat, non-governmental organizations and bilateral donors will be crucial not only for the successful accomplishment of the United Nations mandate but also for a smooth transition to a normal development framework. In this regard, we welcome the information in the Secretary-General’s report about the mechanism set up for coordination among these different actors. In less than a month East Timor will be independent. We will all be represented at the ceremonies in Dili to celebrate with the Timorese that important and historic moment. I believe that the Timorese will see that presence as a sign of the continued commitment and support of the international community, especially the United Nations, for the future of their territory and their country. Let us not disappoint them.

The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Spain. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta, Turkey, Iceland and Liechtenstein align themselves with this statement. I would first like to welcome the President-elect of East Timor, Mr. Xanana Gusmão, and the Chief Minister, Mr. Mari Alkatiri. Their presence in this chamber today demonstrates the democratic commitment of the East Timorese people and their remarkable achievements in moving towards independence and reconciliation. We warmly congratulate the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, for an outstanding record as head of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), while trusting that his service to the United Nations will continue. The European Union also welcomes the Secretary-General’s decision to appoint Mr. Kamalesh Sharma as his Special Representative for East Timor. We are confident that he will be an excellent head of the successor mission to UNTAET. The European Union welcomes the peaceful elections of 14 April 2002, in which Mr. Gusmão was elected President by an overwhelming majority after a very good turnout. Once again, the East Timorese people have shown great political maturity, offering a perfect example of a country that has chosen democracy as the only way towards progress and well- being. We would like to thank the Independent Electoral Commission for organizing this successful election and to highlight the very important role played by its East Timorese staff. We note with satisfaction the fact that President Xanana Gusmão has stated that his main goals will be national reconciliation, the establishment of international relations, political progress and economic development. The European Union warmly welcomes the signing of the Constitution, which will come into force on the day of independence. We are sure that it will provide the basis for stability, democracy, freedom, justice and security for the East Timorese people. During the celebrations planned to mark East Timor’s independence, the member States of the European Union will be represented in a manner befitting the welcome due to a new nation that is joining the international community of States. The European Union is strongly in favour of the United Nations having a role in peacekeeping and in supporting the authorities after independence, as recommended by the Secretary-General in his report. Given that peace is the main precondition for the development of democracy in East Timor, it is essential that the peacekeeping force be phased out gradually, with due consideration to the security situation on the ground. We agree with the Secretary-General that the new United Nations Mission should provide stability and viability to the emerging East Timorese public Administration, assist in the development of law enforcement bodies operating in accordance with international human rights standards and contribute to the maintenance of external and internal security. In this context, we commend the Secretary- General for his excellent report, which builds in a coherent manner on his earlier reports and gives a detailed description of the proposed United Nations successor Mission. The European Union supports the adoption by the Security Council of a draft resolution creating the new United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), as proposed by the Secretary- General. Both the work of UNMISET and the future of East Timor will depend on the available resources. The European Union welcomes the proposal that the Civilian Support Group and the Serious Crimes Unit be included in the civilian component of UNMISET, and thus be financed through assessed contributions. In only two and a half years, East Timor has gone from devastation to the establishment of the foundations for a new country and of the basic infrastructure for economic and social activity. Less than a month before independence, the new institutions are assuming a number of functions and responsibilities in areas such as public administration, security, and social and economic affairs. Still, they will require sustained support from the international community. The European Union and its member States are prepared to continue to assist East Timor on the path to sustainable development and urges the international community to support it. Without internal and external security, East Timor will not succeed as an independent nation. The European Union understands the need to ensure that police and military institutions are adequately equipped and trained. We commend the work already achieved by the United Nations, in cooperation with certain donors, in the establishment of such institutions, and we take note of the Secretary-General’s concern that additional training and donor support will be required after independence in order to guarantee that the security forces are fully operational by January 2004. We note the report’s positive stance with respect to the gradual diminution of militia activity, though this is a function of various factors such as a successful solution of the refugee problem, an agreement with Indonesia on the demarcation of the common border, and the success of the reconciliation and reintegration process. After months of slow progress, recent refugee returns are encouraging. This reflects confidence in the present situation and optimism for the future. We hope that this trend will be consolidated. To this end, it is important that a prompt and fair solution be found to the problem of resettlement either in East Timor or Indonesia. The European Union welcomes the efforts of the Government of Indonesia to resolve this question, namely its decision to pay the pensions of former civil servants, police officers and members of its armed forces in East Timor until Independence Day. We hope that those payments will commence before independence. We encourage Indonesia and the international community to continue to support the Consolidated Appeal for East Timor refugees. The European Union urges Indonesia, together with East Timor, to resolve pending issues between the two countries, including judicial cooperation and a new border regime. The European Union strongly encourages the future East Timorese Government to respect human rights and to continue to improve the human rights situation, as well as to ensure that all future legislation is consistent with international human rights standards. In this regard, we welcome efforts to strengthen the East Timorese judicial system, including the Serious Crimes Unit, so that justice and the rule of law can become a reality in East Timor. We welcome the important steps taken by the Government of Indonesia to bring to justice the perpetrators of gross human rights violations in East Timor, but we share the Secretary-General’s regret that the jurisdiction of the Ad Hoc Human Rights Tribunal has not yet been expanded to cover all districts and the period from January to October 1999. The international community will continue closely to follow developments in this field in Indonesia. As 20 May 2002 draws near, we are closer to welcoming East Timor as a new State Member of the United Nations. Three years ago, its name was synonymous with conflict and human suffering. This success is the fruit of courageous determination on the part of the East Timorese people, the generous commitment of the international community and the will to achieve peace through dialogue and reconciliation. Let us hope that this example is fully realized there and followed in other afflicted regions of the world.

The next speaker on my list is the representative of Australia. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

My prepared remarks invite me, in my first paragraph, to acknowledge the presence in the Chamber of Mr. Xanana Gusmão and Mr. Mari Alkatiri, but unfortunately the arrangements today for non-members to speak do not allow me to commence my remarks in that way. I have to say that this is disappointing to my country, particularly given the contribution we have made in respect of East Timor, that we are getting what I regard as a less-than- appropriate opportunity to participate in the Security Council debate about East Timor. I am sorry to make that remark, but I do regret that the organization of Council business today has led to this result. The successful presidential election in East Timor on 14 April was a major step in the final stages of East Timor’s transition to independence. Our consideration of East Timor in the Security Council today, and the decisions to be taken by Council Members in the coming weeks, are further critical elements of this process. These decisions will have a direct and significant impact on the international community’s continuing role in East Timor and on the long-term future of the new nation. I thank the Secretary-General for his presence this morning, and I particularly thank my friend Assistant Secretary-General Annabi for his comprehensive briefing on the Secretary-General’s report. The report shows how far East Timor’s transition has come. While much remains to be done, the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) has built a sound foundation for an effective, viable and democratic independent nation. This is due in no small part to the enormously valuable and tireless contribution of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello. I take this opportunity again to extend to him personally, and to all members of UNTAET, Australia’s thanks for their dedication to laying the groundwork for the future independent East Timor. Turning to the future, the Secretary-General’s report underlines that at independence a number of critical elements of the new State of East Timor will remain fragile. Without a continued international presence and commitment, the progress achieved so far will be at risk. The Secretary-General has presented us with a comprehensive, practical and responsible plan for a United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) after independence. If it is carefully implemented, this plan, which Australia fully endorses, will provide the best possible chance for a stable, democratic and effective independent East Timor. Australia supports the Secretary-General’s recommendations for a successor Mission covering the four key components of peacekeeping, civilian police, a Civilian Support Group and an Office of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, and funded from assessed contributions. We also support the Secretary-General’s clear exit strategy, which envisages the progressive downsizing of all core components over a two-year period, against the achievement of clear milestones. With regard to the security components of the new mission — and this is a point that I particularly wanted to stress today in, as I said, more comprehensive circumstances than the ones in which I find myself speaking — we appreciate the Secretary- General’s advice that discussions are under way to finalize plans for command and control of the security forces in East Timor after independence. We strongly support the continued constructive work to develop, in as precise detail as possible, these arrangements. We also believe that it is critical to continued international confidence in East Timor that the arrangements operate in accordance with the standard United Nations procedures, and that the new Government approach this particularly sensitive area of administration in a highly cooperative spirit. If they do not do so, there is a significant risk that international support for the fledgling State will erode. The successor mission in East Timor must not operate in isolation from the broader international effort to assist East Timor. We therefore welcome the Secretary-General’s description of the relationship between UNMISET, the wider United Nations system of agencies, funds and programmes, and the national development plan of the East Timor Government. This coordinated approach will lay the basis for East Timor’s eventual transition to a normal development situation, with long-term needs assisted by United Nations agencies and other donor assistance. Realization of that goal will depend not only on assessed funding for the duration of the successor mission, but also on sustained long-term support from the international community. For its part, Australia has made a significant contribution. In addition to our share of assessed contributions, we have spent $1.4 billion (Australian) on our military contribution from July 1999 to June 2001, and we have committed $150 million (Australian) for the four years from July 2000 to help with reconstruction and development in East Timor. Continued international support will be critical to protect the considerable investments made so far and to promote East Timor’s long-term development. In addition, as the Secretary-General has stated in his report, the achievement of key milestones during the coming two years will be greatly accelerated by strong donor support, particularly in the critical areas of establishing the border and customs service, resourcing and equipping of police and military institutions and the establishment of an adequate justice system. The more that international donors can support these key steps, the faster the successor Mission will be able to achieve its milestones, and the more efficiently the United Nations presence can be reduced. Australia will continue to do its part both through the United Nations and bilaterally, to support East Timor’s transition and future development. We urge our fellow Member States to do likewise. The Secretary-General’s recommendations for UNMISET provide the details and strategic planning required to enable an effective transition from UNTAET to the post-independence period. We urge the Security Council to use this information to make sound decisions on a solid and comprehensive mandate for the successor mission that will guide East Timor through its first two years of independence. We have in our grasp all the makings of a United Nations success story. The Security Council is in a position to maximize the chances for a stable and viable future for East Timor and its people. We must not let these opportunities pass us by.

I should like to remind the Council that the formula that was chosen for the continuation of this meeting of the Security Council was adopted at the insistent request of a number of delegations. The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Japan, who will be the last speaker at this meeting. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

I, too, want to express my disappointment at the way this meeting was arranged. It is very disappointing that, although we are one of the major contributors, we have to speak in the absence of the future President and others. I hope you will consider this again, Mr. President, although I do not want to spend too much time on this. First of all, on behalf of the Government of Japan, I would like to congratulate Mr. Xanana Gusmão on his recent election as the first President of independent East Timor. I would also like to pay tribute to Mr. Mari Alkatiri, who has been serving as the Chief Minister of the Transitional Government of East Timor and who, with independence, will continue to assume important duties for nation-building in East Timor. Furthermore, I would like to extend once again our congratulations on the successful presidential election held in East Timor on 14 April. The international community, including the observation team dispatched by the Government of Japan, assessed the election as having been held in a free and fair manner. The success of the presidential election, following the Constituent Assembly elections held in August last year, is further testimony to the firm commitment of the people of East Timor to democracy. In his congratulatory message to President-elect Gusmão, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed the hope that Mr. Gusmão, in solidarity with the Government and people of East Timor, would tackle the tasks required to build a self-reliant nation. Prime Minister Koizumi also expressed the intention of the Government of Japan to continue to extend to East Timor as much support as possible. This coming Monday, Prime Minister Koizumi will visit East Timor. That visit is aimed at conveying directly to the leaders and the people of East Timor the Japanese people’s message of congratulations and their determination to assist East Timor. The Prime Minister is looking forward to meeting Mr. Gusmão and Mr. Alkatiri in Dili and to discussing with them the future of East Timor as well as the political stability and economic development of the Asia-Pacific region. The Government of Japan has been making efforts to play a leading role within the international community in supporting East Timor. Indeed, it is already the largest donor in terms of actual disbursements. The Japanese Government has already extended $120 million for reconstruction and development as well as for humanitarian assistance on the basis of our pledge to provide, over three years, $130 million to this end — a pledge we made at the first donor conference we hosted in Tokyo in December 1999. In addition, an engineering group of 680 troops, including female members of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces, has completed its deployment in East Timor this month to participate in the United Nations peacekeeping operations. They will engage in the construction and repair of roads and bridges, which are also expected to contribute to the reconstruction and development of East Timor. What the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) has achieved in East Timor is a success story of which the United Nations should be proud. We cannot overemphasize the important role UNTAET has played over the past two and a half years in assisting East Timor’s progress towards independence. I would therefore like to express the Japanese Government’s admiration and appreciation to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, and to the other members of UNTAET for their leadership and dedicated efforts throughout this period. I also welcome the report on East Timor which Secretary-General Kofi Annan submitted to the Security Council on 17 April. The Government of Japan supports the plan described in the report concerning the mandate, structure and timetable of a United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET). The Japanese Government also supports the recommendation of the Secretary-General that the Security Council adopt a resolution giving a mandate to UNMISET for its initial period of one year. It is clear to everyone that after independence East Timor will face a number of difficult challenges. With this recognition, I would like to point out that it is important for the leadership of East Timor to lead their country in solidarity; that it is important for the people of East Timor to participate in the efforts for nation- building, taking on their country’s development as a matter of their own responsibility; and that it is important for the international community to continue its support for East Timor. I would like to emphasize in particular that the support of the international community and the development of good cooperative relations between East Timor and neighbouring countries are indispensable for the stability and prosperity of East Timor. The Government of Japan, for its part, is determined to spare no effort to continue to play an important role in the international efforts to support East Timor.

There are speakers remaining on my list. With the agreement of the members of the Council, I intend to suspend the meeting. The date of its resumption will be announced in the Journal.