Australia Decides to Stay in Timor Leste
Wednesday, 22 November, 2006 | 16:07 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Dili: The Australian government has announced its decision to stay and maintain the presence of its troops in Timor Leste.

“We’ll stay as long as the Timor Leste government and the United Nations say this is best for the peace-keeping force,” said Australia’s Defense Minister Brendan Nelson, after meeting with Timor Leste Prime Minister Jose Manuel Ramos Horta in Dili.

According to Nelson, Australia has a commitment to the people of Timor Leste.

Australia actually would prefer not to send its troops to any country, but it is clearl that, “Now Timor Leste still needs help from other countries.”

In the meeting yesterday (21/11), Ramos Horta and Nelson discussed ways of building Timor Leste’s military, maintaining security throughout the country especially in the run-up to the general election next year.

“I also talked about the possibility of a small number of additional personnel from other countries in the region to join Australia’s and New Zealand’s troops and the others in Timor Leste to guarantee security,” continued Nelson.

When meeting with Australia’s troops in Timor Leste, Nelson said he will review the quantity and the composition together with Defense Commander Marshal Angus Houston and Prime Minister John Howard when he is back in Australia.

“If we reduced the amount of our personnel here, it would only be by a few. It depends on the day to day, week to week needs and developments,” he said.

He said he considered that security in Timor Leste is still critical.

“It is improving, but it will still takes a long time,” said Nelson, adding that Australia was committed to stability and a trusted government in the country.

As many as 3,200 Australian soldiers have been deployed to the small country since May due to clashes between factions of domestic military, including street gangs.

At least 37 civilians were killed in the rioting that went on for more than two months with many Dili residents were forced to evacuate to refugee camps.

The number of Australian soldiers has been reduced to 1,100, following the deployment of around 1,000 UN police officers, which will be increased gradually to 1,600 officers.

Timor Leste refused an offer of the UN’s peace-keeping troops for overcoming civilian rioting in that country.

Dili prefers to depend on regional peace-keeping troops led by Australia.

AFP | THE AGE | DWI ARJANTO