EU Presidency Statement - The situation in Timor-Leste

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Croatia , the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.

Mr. President,

Since the previous meeting in this Council on Timor-Leste last August, the European Union has not significantly changed its position on the way forward for Timor-Leste. We congratulate the government of Timor-Leste for the tremendous progress it has made in rebuilding a functioning civil administration, training security and police forces, adopting important legislation and preparing for local elections.

We also would like to commend the invaluable contributions by the UN mission in Timor- Leste, which the EU holds in high regard for its exemplary function as a true multilateral effort at peace building and reconstruction. In this respect, I am pleased to welcome and to commend Special Representative Mr Sukehiro Hasegawa today for his leadership of UNMISET.

The European Union pays tribute to the multilateral institutions and bodies that jointly contributed to the recent economic recovery in Timor-Leste. Although the first signs of growth are still modest, the EU is encouraged by this upward trend which gives hope for further economic consolidation in the future. The EU wishes to see more efforts aimed at developing and expanding private sector activity in Timor-Leste.

The EU also would like to praise both Timor-Leste and Indonesia for their steadily improving relationship, which we hope will result in the early determination of their joint land border.

Mr. President,

The report of the Secretary-General clearly outlines the various reasons for which Timor-Leste has not yet reached the critical threshold for self-sufficiency. I will not go into those details here. However, the European Union shares the Secretary-General's conclusion that UNMISET is to be maintained in accordance with Security Council resolution 1543.

Moreover, the EU can support the Secretary-General's recommendation that the Mission focus on an exit strategy during the coming six months, aimed at increasing Timorese ownership. The EU trusts that the UN system will continue to support Timor Leste after the departure of UNMISET next year.

Mr. President,

I would like to recall the European Union's concern at the lack of progress in ending impunity. Ensuring that those responsible for serious crimes committed in East Timor in 1999 are held accountable and that justice is secured for the victims and people of East Timor, is essential. The European Union looks forward to receiving the proposals of the Secretary-General, with a view to supporting them.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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