DPKO ASSISTANT-SECRETARY-GENERAL
ANNABI VISITS EAST TIMOR

The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General of the Office of Operations, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Hedi Annabi arrived today in East Timor for a four-day visit, accompanied by the Deputy Director of Asia and Middle East Division of DPKO Louise Laheurte. Upon their arrival, the delegation met SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello, followed by meetings with DSRSG Jean-Christian Cady and Force Commander Lt. General Boonsrang Niumpradit. Tomorrow the delegation will meet UNTAET’s Chief Electoral Officer Carlos Valenzuela and Cabinet Members. The delegation will also visit Oecussi district on 21 March and Suai district on 22 March, and will be briefed by East Timor Defense Force Commander Brigadier-General Taur Matan Ruak on 22 March.

VIQUEQUE DISTRICT BACK TO NORMAL CONDITIONS

A week after the incident in Viqueque, eastern region of East Timor, the overall security situation is calm and life is back to normal. No further violence was reported in the district. On Sunday, 18 March Viqueque District Administrator Ilda Maria de Conceição launched an information campaign on the implementation of a “zero tolerance” policy against violence, similar to the one in place in Dili since April last year. The campaign will be extended to all five sub-districts through public meetings, posters and leaflets, and will also involve the church, with priests addressing the issue on Sunday Mass. Around 200 displaced people who have lost their houses during the riot of 12 March are at Viqueque Church compound. All East Timorese who had sought refuge in the mountains have returned to Viqueque town and most have moved into their houses. No displaced people are staying at PKF headquarters anymore. In addition, all UNTAET staff have moved back to their houses. A violent incident left two people dead, roughly 40 houses burnt and 25 partially destroyed as a result of a fight between youth groups from two villages last week.

CHINESE VICE-MINISTER OF FOREIGN TRADE IN DILI

Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Sun Guagxiang arrived in East Timor today for a three-day visit. The delegation met SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello, followed by informal meetings with Chinese Civilian Police. An agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation is expected to be sign between China and UNTAET tomorrow, 20 March.