HC Deb 18 May 1999 vol 331 cc327-8W
20. Mr. John Cryer

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards the future status of East Timor. [83519]

Mr. Robin Cook

We welcome the consultation that has been launched to establish the wishes of the people of East Timor on whether they want autonomy of independence. Only the fortnight before his death Derek Fatchett visited East Timor and gave an undertaking that Britain would be one of the six nations leading implementation of the UN process. We will ensure that we complete the valuable work that Derek Fatchett began.

39. Mr. Goggins

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to promote peace in East Timor. [83538]

Mr. Robin Cook

We continue to support the efforts under UN auspices to secure a future for East Timor which will fully respect the interests and legitimate aspirations of the East Timorese people.

Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to other Governments on establishing a permanent international presence in East Timor to monitor human rights abuses. [82466]

Mr. Robin Cook

[holding answer 28 April 1999]: We have on a number of occasions, along with EU partners, called for the urgent establishment of a permanent UN presence in East Timor to help prevent further violence in the territory. We welcome the agreement signed by Indonesia and Portugal in New York on 5 May whereby a United Nations presence will supervise the consultation of the East Timorese on the question of autonomy. We are working with others on arrangements for the deployment of an international police presence in East Timor to oversee implementation of the 5 May agreement.

Mr. Harvey

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the Australian Government's recent report on the deaths of the British and other newsmen in East Timor in 1975. [83959]

Mr. Robin Cook

We welcomed the Australian Government's decision to refer new information about the deaths of the British journalists in East Timor in 1975 to Mr. Sherman. Mr. Sherman's second report contains no major new revelations or conclusions.