Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05CANBERRA272
2005-02-11 03:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:  

AUSTRALIA WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TIMOR

Tags:  KPKO PREL TL AS UNSC 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS CANBERRA 000272 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPKO PREL TL AS UNSC
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TIMOR
POST-UNMISET

REF: STATE 24208

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000272

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPKO PREL TL AS UNSC
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TIMOR
POST-UNMISET

REF: STATE 24208


1. (U) We delivered reftel demarche on February 11 to
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
Assistant Secretary for Maritime South-East Asia Penny Burtt.
Burtt said that the GOA was in "heated agreement" with the
U.S. that UNMISET should conclude in May and that the
Government of East Timor (GOET) needed to assume more
responsibility to fill in the gaps after UNMISET departs.
She stressed that Australia remained committed to providing
police advisors, civilian advisors, and military liaison
officers to a post-UNMISET program. Foreign Minister Downer
would review proposals next week, Burtt said, but the GOA was
not yet in a position to give details on the numbers and
types of advisors it would provide. The GOA wanted to see
what proposals the UNSC would put forward at the February 26
meeting. Australia would also be sending a senior
representative from the Australian Embassy in Washington to
the February 16 core group meeting on East Timor. According
to Burtt, the GOA was eager to provide assistance to East
Timor but wanted to ensure that as many countries as possible
remained involved post-UNMISET, as the GOA "does not want to
be left holding the baby alone." She told us that the GOA
would not have firm figures on support personnel until late
March or early April.

SCHIEFFER