19 November -- United Nations officials and East Timorese political leaders today stressed their commitment to dialogue and cooperation, putting aside media reports of friction between the two sides.
Speaking at a press conference in Dili, Sergio Vieira de Mello, the head of the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), said he thought his talks with independence leader Xanana Gusmao had "set the tone for the future of our cooperation."
Mr. Vieira de Mello said that he wanted to disprove the feeling by the CNRT, the territory's main political party, that it was being left out of the UN's preparations for East Timor and his visit to Mr. Gusamao on Wednesday shortly after taking up his duties demonstrated that commitment.
"We had a very frank conversation," Mr. Vieira de Mello said, adding that this morning's discussion "began a most important process of dialogue on possible joint structures for cooperation."
Mr. Gusamao told reporters that "this is the beginning of the process" and stressed that the East Timorese would have to learn how to manage the country as an independent nation.
"We have been political activists for a long period," Mr. Gusmao said. "Now we have to get the practical skills to make an independent country. That is why we accepted the mandate of UNTAET in the first place."
Also attending the press conference was the Acting Special Representative, Ian Martin, whom Mr. Vieira de Mello is replacing as the UN's top official in East Timor.
In a farewell statement, Mr. Martin appealed to the international community to vigorously pursue investigations into the rampage of violence that took place both before and after the 30 August popular consultation.
"It is surely now clear that what happened was planned, premeditated evil which involved murder, rape, forced deportation and physical destruction on an extraordinary scale," Mr. Martin said.
He also appealed to the international community to maintain the spotlight on the fate of East Timorese in West Timor until all those who wanted to return to their homes were able to do so. He also called for a sustained commitment to providing the territory with all the financial assistance it needed to build an independent and economically viable country.
