East Timor to build own defense force

Dili at the height of the violence

By Grant Holloway
CNN Interactive Writer

HONG KONG (CNN) -- The former Indonesian province of East Timor will build its own defense force, assisted initially by funds from Australia and training from Portugal.

Australia will commit up to $U.S. 13.7 million ($A 26 million) over five years to help the fledgling nation develop internal policing forces such as customs officials and border patrols.

The decision follows three days meetings in the East Timor capital of Dili hosted by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), which included representatives from Australia, Portugal, Malaysia, the United States, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The final meeting Thursday was also attended by the Head of Indonesia's Representative Office in Dili Kristin Wahyono.

Australia's Defense Minister John Moore said in a media statement that Australia had an interest in the development of an independent East Timor which was "secure, stable, democratic and able to offer its citizens a better future''.

"A key element of preparing East Timor for independence is to give it the ability to provide for its own defense," Moore said.

The defense force would, by necessity, be modest and would take into account the nation's other development needs and priorities, he said.

A spokesman for the Australia's Defense Department, Chris Wordsworth, told CNN that Indonesia was "completely comfortable" with the decision to build the defense force.

"We have taken a very big step forward. It is in everybody's best interests that East Timor can stand on its own two feet," Wordsworth said.

The decision to build the force was also dependent on East Timor carrying out democratic elections, he said. The region is currently ruled by a transitional United Nations administration.

East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia in August 1999, a decision which unleashed a wave of factional violence throughout the province. A multinational peacekeeping force, lead by Australia, was then sent to East Timor to restore stability.

Moore said he had been encouraged by the participation of significant regional countries in the Dili meeting and their in-principal commitment to the process.

"Australia also will be working closely with Portugal, reflecting our shared commitment to assisting East Timor," Moore said.

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