Dili, 29 January 2001
NATIONAL COUNCIL APPROVES REGULATION ON DEFENCE FORCE

The National Council today unanimously adopted a draft regulation establishing an East Timor Defence Force. The approval follows public hearings that were conducted by the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence on 27 January. The draft regulation was approved by the East Timor Transitional Cabinet on 17 January. After much deliberation, the National Council adopted the regulation as the provisional legal basis to establish the East Timor Defence Force, on 1 February 2001. The training of some 600 former Falintil members is due to start the following day. The regulation takes immediate effect once it has been signed by Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello. The signing is expected to take place upon his return to East Timor on 31 January. The regulation will be in effect for two months, giving the Council members more time to present and discuss amendments. An amended regulation is then expected to be approved. Today’s session was chaired by alternative Deputy Speaker Aniceto Guterres with 18 of its 36 members in attendance. The National Council will meet again on 12 February.