THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
BRIEFING TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
���� I am pleased to be back among you. As you know, I have just returned from a journey of two and a half
��� �weeks during which I visited Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, East Timor, Australia and New Zealand. I also
���� had the honour to attend the Tenth United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Bangkok - an
���� important and constructive meeting which I hope will mark the beginning of a new phase in international
���� economic relations, after the disappointment of Seattle.
���� In all of those countries I saw and learned a great deal.
���� It was encouraging to see the success of both Thailand and Singapore in recovering from the recent financial
���� crisis. And I found it especially moving to witness the heroic efforts of the Indonesian government and people
���� to overcome their many difficulties and advance into a new era of freedom and democracy, notably by
���� bringing the military under full civilian control. I went there with a simple message: that the unity of a great
���� and diverse nation such as Indonesia is best preserved by political rather than military means. I am glad to
���� say this message was well received, because it corresponded to courageous decisions which the government
���� had already taken. It is to be applauded for seeking a solution to the crises in Aceh and the Moluccas
���� through dialogue and special programmes for economic and social development, rather than through martial
���� law.
���� I believe the government is entitled to all possible international support in its efforts to improve the economic
���� and social conditions of the population, since failure could have the most serious political implications not
���� only for Indonesia itself but for the whole region.
���� I also had most useful discussions with the leaders of Australia and New Zealand, and had occasion to thank
���� the Australian people, especially, for the leading role Australia has played in transforming the fortunes and
���� prospects of East Timor.
���� Mr. President, I trust the Council will understand that it implies no disrespect for the other countries I visited
���� if I say that, once I left UNCTAD X, East Timor and its problems became the central focus of my journey.
���� That simply reflects the unusual responsibilities which have been given to the United Nations in East Timor.
���� It is that issue that I wish especially to bring to your attention this morning.
���� If I had to sum up my findings in East Timor in one phrase, I would say that I was both depressed and
���� impressed. I was depressed by the spectacle of destruction, much of which had clearly been inflicted
���� systematically, and which was far worse even than I had imagined from what I had seen on television and
���� read in reports.
���� But I was also greatly impressed -- by the East Timorese leadership, above all Mr. Xanana Gusmao, and by
��� �the determination of the East Timorese people to rebuild their country and to achieve reconciliation, both
���� with each other and with their neighbours. Given the right kind of assistance, East Timor can have a good and
���� stable future. That is where this Council still has a vital role to play.
���� The security emergency in East Timor has more or less ended, although of course there are still threats. Let
���� me particularly commend the leadership provided by General Cosgrove, and congratulate both him and
���� General de los Santos on completing the smooth and seamless transfer of responsibility from INTERFET to
���� UNTAET.
���� The deployment of these two forces -- first a coalition of the willing, and then a United Nations peacekeeping
���� operation -- shows the difference rapid deployment can make. I would like again to thank all those
���� Governments which have rallied to support this operation. Had they not demonstrated such impressive
���� political will, East Timor's history and prospects would be quite different from what they are.
���� But please make no mistake: there is still an emergency, and a very serious one. East Timor faces a
���� daunting task of reconstruction - not only in terms of bricks and mortar, but also in rebuilding its society.
���� People need jobs, schools, and clinics. Ports, roads, buildings: all must be re-built, or built from scratch. Laws
���� and institutions must be put in place, and East Timor's people trained in all the skills required to run a
���� modern state.
���� At the recent Tokyo conference, governments pledged more than $500 million in assistance -- a truly
���� impressive sum. If all the pledges made there are fulfilled, this will be one of the rare cases where neither
���� soldiers nor money are in short supply. But, as we all know, turning pledges into cash takes time. Funds are
���� flowing, but not quickly enough. At present, there is still only 22 million dollars in the United Nations Trust
���� Fund for East Timor.
���� The World Bank has also begun disbursing money, and has streamlined its procedures so that its
���� representatives on the spot can make decisions on expenditure, within certain limits, without reference to
���� Washington. Mr. Wolfensohn visited East Timor a few days after myself, and signed an agreement with my
���� Special Representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello, under which some 21 million dollars will be released for
���� urgent needs. We are also trying to attract members of the East Timorese diaspora to lend their skills and
���� support.
���� Still, we need even greater momentum if the East Timorese are to feel positive changes in their daily lives, to
���� achieve reconciliation among themselves, and avoid the dependency and social unrest which despair and
���� national trauma such as they have been through can so easily breed.
���� I am glad to report that every country I visited promised to assist East Timor in this undertaking.
���� It was particularly heartening to sense good relations emerging between Indonesia and East Timor, between
���� Australia and East Timor, and between Indonesia and Australia - three nations indissolubly linked by history,
���� geography and trade. Already, UNTAET, acting on behalf of the East Timorese people, has worked out an
���� arrangement with Australia on revenue sharing from oil and gas production in the Timor Gap. Although in the
���� immediate future East Timor's share would not amount to more than 7 or 8 million dollars per year, there are
���� hopes that in the medium term larger sums could accrue. In addition, efforts have begun to resolve thorny
���� issues of property rights, and other outstanding problems. I left the region encouraged by the degree of
���� goodwill that exists among the three peoples, and their desire to forge a harmonious future. I am sure
���� President Wahid's visit to East Timor today will mark an important new step in that direction.
���� Mr. President, the effort to meet all these challenges must not be governed by arbitrary deadlines. None of
�� ��us, I am sure, have any desire to keep East Timor under United Nations administration for a moment longer
���� than necessary. Equally, however, it would be irresponsible to leave before the job is done. The timing of our
���� departure must be decided by objective criteria of achievement.
���� Accordingly, I have instructed my Special Representative to draw up such criteria, in consultation with the
���� East Timorese leadership, so that we will know when we have accomplished what we set out to do � when, in
���� other words, the East Timorese are ready to assume full control of their destiny.
���� Both they and we must be patient, for that moment is still some way off. I said this when I attended a session
���� of the National Consultative Council, the primary mechanism through which the representatives of the East
���� Timorese people participate in the decision-making process.
���� And I say it again to this Council. You have provided an initial mandate which expires at the end of January
���� next year. We will do our best to work within that timeframe; but we should be prepared to extend it if
���� necessary. We must see this job through to its natural conclusion.
���� One crucial element in East Timor's ability to move forward will be a proper reckoning for past injustices. An
���� Indonesian Commission of Inquiry, sanctioned by the Government, has already published a frank report on
���� the violence, and the Attorney-General is demonstrating a will to move ahead with prosecutions and trials.
�� ��I am aware, of course, that the Security Council can choose to form a tribunal of its own. But, Mr. President,
���� I share the belief - which is implicit in your letter to me of 18 February - that Indonesia should be given the
���� chance to demonstrate its capacity to do a credible and transparent job of holding people accountable for
���� their crimes. As you suggested in that letter, I am consulting with the Government of Indonesia to see what
���� forms of assistance the United Nations can provide to help Indonesia ensure that international standards of
���� human rights and humanitarian law are respected - and I urge Member States to do the same.
���� Not only is such credible and transparent justice essential for the people of East Timor. It would also promote
���� the wider transformation to democracy occurring in Indonesia itself, and serve as a deterrent. I met with most
���� of the key figures in the Indonesian Government, and they were united in their determination to move in this
���� direction. They are surely entitled to our support.
Mr. President,
���� May I now briefly mention a few other regional issues that came up consistently in my talks?
���� As you know, the United Nations and the Government of Cambodia have been engaged in negotiations over
���� the nature of a tribunal to try Khmer rouge personnel accused of genocide and other violations of
���� international humanitarian law. The international community and Cambodia itself agree that such a tribunal
���� should have an international character and be able to ensure that minimum international legal standards are
���� met.
���� But translating that wish into specific arrangements has proved difficult. I have recently exchanged letters on
���� this subject with Prime Minister Hun Sen, following which we had a very constructive meeting in Bangkok.
���� We agreed that there is a real need to resolve our remaining differences so that trials can begin.
���� The main concern on the United Nations side is to ensure that the judicial system set up for this purpose
���� under Cambodian law does indeed reach international standards. It must guarantee the arrest and surrender
���� of all indictees; it must exclude any amnesty for genocide or crimes against humanity; and it must include an
���� appropriate international element among both prosecutors and judges.
���� Some of these issues are extremely difficult, but we shall continue to discuss them with the Cambodian
���� government. I shall shortly be sending a United Nations team to Cambodia for that purpose, in the hope that
���� this will be the last and decisive round of discussions. Prime Minister Hun Sen has indicated readiness to
���� receive the team. Let me assure you that the United Nations is acting in good faith, purely with a view to
���� ensuring respect for the international standards that have been developed over the years. I sincerely hope
���� that I can count on the support of Member States for the Organisation's efforts to arrive at an acceptable
���� solution.
���� In Myanmar, the situation has languished for too long without any signs of progress. I sought the help and
���� advice of a number of leaders in the search for ways of breaking the current impasse between the State
���� Peace and Development Council and the National League for Democracy. It is my sense that flexibility is
���� needed from both sides. For my part, I intend shortly to appoint a new envoy who will pick up where Mr. de
���� Soto left off.
���� I also had an opportunity to forge closer ties between the United Nations and the Association of Southeast
���� Asian Nations. Although the United Nations and individual ASEAN members are long-standing development
���� partners, ASEAN is the only major regional organisation without observer status at the United Nations.
���� Thailand, which holds the current presidency of ASEAN, took advantage of UNCTAD X and the presence in
���� Bangkok of ASEAN leaders to organize an ASEAN-UN summit, with the participation of ASEAN heads of
���� state and government and the heads of United Nations agencies and programmes.
���� This informal meeting covered many issues, and broke new ground with respect to preventive diplomacy and
���� conflict resolution. I suggested that the time had come for the United Nations and ASEAN to step up their
���� co-operation in the general area of peace and security. The United Nations would also be prepared to work
���� with ASEAN in the context of the ASEAN regional forum.
���� There seemed to be general agreement on these points. Officials on both sides will be exploring the
���� possibilities, and I expect further progress in the months ahead.
���� The heads of state also recognised that East Timor is an important part of the region. They were pleased that
���� they had rallied to its support following Indonesia's decision to accept the need for a multinational force last
���� September, and expressed their willingness to help with the reconstruction effort. The recent tour of the
���� region by Mr. Gusmao and Mr. Ramos Horta had clearly been a great success.
Mr. President,
���� Let me now conclude by repeating once more my plea to the wider international community to support our
���� operation in East Timor both politically and materially, and to show both support and understanding for the
���� difficult transition that Indonesia is going through.
���� In Indonesia, the implications of failure hardly bear thinking about. In East Timor the worst may be over, but
���� in some key respects our job has only just begun. The international community must remain involved for the
���� long run. This is a crucial test for all of us. It would be tragic indeed if, after such suffering, we did not make
���� the best of this promising moment in East Timor's history.
���� Now I would be grateful to hear your comments and happy to answer any questions. Thank you very much.