Australia Seeks to Transfer East Timor Peacekeeping Operation to UN

Strategic Insights -

Australia's push to reduce its role in the East Timor peacekeeping operation has been prompted by growing tensions with Indonesia and complaints from Asian countries about the "aggressiveness" of Australian commanders. Canberra is urging the United Nations to speed up the transition of the Australian-led International Force for East Timor (Interfet) to a UN administration, which would oversee aid distribution, administration, and peacekeeping. This move comes as Indonesia's parliament is expected to ratify East Timor's independence vote by late this month, accelerating the timeline for the transfer.

Key Takeaways:

  • Australia is seeking to reduce its involvement in the East Timor peacekeeping operation, with a plan to decrease its troop commitment from 4,500 to about 2,000 out of a total of 8,000.
  • The change would involve a sharp increase in the number of Asian soldiers, with the UK, Malaysia, and Thailand expected to contribute to the force.
  • The transition of command from the current Australian commander, Major-General Peter Cosgrove, to an Asian country is likely to occur, with Malaysia or Thailand being the potential candidates.
  • The UN's special envoy to East Timor, Jamsheed Marker, stated that peacekeeping planning is "absolutely flat out" to meet the accelerated timetable, aiming to send in a peacekeeping mission to coincide with the Indonesian parliament's vote on the outcome of the East Timor consultation.
  • The change would require a fresh UN Security Council mandate, which could revive debate over the mission's powers and potentially allow Russia and China to veto the proposal.

Statistics:

  • Australia has nearly 4,000 troops on the ground in East Timor, out of a total of 5,000.
  • The planned reduction in Australian troop commitment would see their numbers decrease to about 2,000 out of 8,000 total troops.
  • The East Timor operation is expected to expand to a total of 8,000 troops, with a sharp increase in the number of Asian soldiers.

Sources:

  • Financial Times Limited, 1999. "Australia seeks to reduce its role in East Timor peacekeeping operation."

Note: The date of the article is not explicitly stated, but based on the copyright year provided, it is likely to be 1999.