February 2001 World Headlines

Tuesday, February 13, 2001 - Web posted at 9:28:39 AM GMT

UN says it will pull out of East Timor in 2002

DILI, East Timor - The United Nations will pull out of East Timor in 2002, a top official said yesterday, allaying concerns the fledgling nation may not be ready for independence."

"UNTAET (UN Transitional Administration in East Timor) will not be running the show in 2002, a newly-elected Timorese government will be, with a limited internal capacity," United Nations Development Programme head Mark Malloch Brown said.

But Malloch Brown, the third-highest ranking UN official, urged East Timor's political leaders to agree on a set of national priorities to ensure the half-island territory has a soft economic landing when the bulk of the UN mission leaves."

"There will be a big bump created by the withdrawal of some components of UNTAET so there will be some possibility of a downturn in the Dili economy."

"In the short term, he said 50 per cent of East Timor's GDP would be generated from foreign aid.

East Timor and its economy was left in tatters following a rampage by pro-Indonesian militias, triggered by an overwhelming vote for independence from Indonesia in a UN-brokered ballot in August 1999.

The UN estimates at least 1,000 people were killed in the violence and nearly one third of the 800,000-strong population herded across the border into refugee camps in Indonesian West Timor.

- Nampa - Reuters