FED: ALP accuses govt of dragging feet on UN East Timor probe

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-1999
FED: ALP accuses govt of dragging feet on UN East Timor probe

CANBERRA, Dec 22 AAP - The government had dragged its feet on providing vital assistance
to a United Nations inquiry into atrocities in East Timor, the opposition said today.

With the government yet to respond to a request for intelligence on East Timor, UN
investigators might have to report by December 31 without Australian input, Opposition
foreign affairs spokesman Laurie Brereton said.

"Either through neglect or design, the Howard Government has dragged its feet and left
it very late to provide vital assistance to the UN commission of inquiry," Mr Brereton
said in a statement.

"As a consequence of this delay, the commission of inquiry may be obliged to complete
its report without the opportunity to consider, let alone properly review, relevant Australian
intelligence."

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer yesterday confirmed that three weeks ago the UN had
formally requested Australian intelligence on the terror campaign on East Timor.

The government was in the process of putting together a formal response, Mr Downer said.

Mr Brereton said Labor had been demanding since September that the government make
intelligence available to UN investigators along the lines of that provided by NATO countries
to the International Criminal Tribunal in the former Yugoslavia.

"In spite of its extensive and detailed knowledge of the Indonesian military's complicity
in the violence in East Timor, the Howard Government has sat on its hands until the UN's
request for intelligence assistance," he said.

AAP rmg/cjh

KEYWORD: TIMOR AUST

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