Indonesia rejects UN West Timor mission

Indonesia is under diplomatic pressure over West Timor

By United Nations correspondent Mark Devenport

Indonesia has rejected pressure from the United Nations Security Council for a mission to go to West Timor as soon as possible to investigate conditions in the refugee camps there.

Council members had what is being described as a frank and useful exchange of views about the proposed mission with two Indonesian ministers during a special meeting in New York.

The UN Security Council decided that it wanted to send a mission to Jakarta and West Timor after three UN relief workers were murdered earlier this month by a mob led by pro-Indonesian militia members.

The planned trip had echoes of a delegation sent last year to East Timor which successfully persuaded Jakarta to drop its long-held objections to inviting foreign troops into the territory.

High-level US-Indonesian meetings did not sway Jakarta's position

But those echoes, it seems, are too uncomfortable for the Indonesian government, which believes any repeat mission will be seen by its people as the UN Security Council interfering in their internal affairs.

This position was explained to the Council by two senior Indonesian ministers, including the Foreign Minister, Alwi Shihab:

'Incite emotions'

"If this mission should be dispatched now, it will be seen as an intervention," the foreign minister said.

"It will induce reactions and will incite emotions within the Indonesian community. Indonesia should be given time, should be given opportunity to perform and to fulfil its commitment."

The Indonesian ministers outlined the action they were taking to disarm the militia groups active in the West Timor camps and to investigate the murder of the UN workers.

They said that the first phase of their disarmament programme would begin next week and UN staff will be welcome to witness it.

They also proposed that diplomats already based in Jakarta could visit West Timor.

But most Security Council ambassadors made it clear that they did not believe this was any substitute for a mission sent from New York and they pledged to keep up their diplomatic pressure on Jakarta.