East Timor's resistance organisation has welcomed the appointment of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, as special EU representative for the illegally-occupied former Portuguese colony, David Shanks reports.
Mr Joao Carrascalao, head of the National Council for Timorese Resistance (CNRT) in Australia, said Mr Andrews was the ideal man for the job. All East Timorese interested in a real future for their country would welcome the appointment.
He spoke as the UN Secretary-General expressed anxiety about security for an autonomy/independence referendum next month, and as Mr Jose Ramos Horta, another exiled Timorese leader, suggested armed UN peacekeepers unless the army withdrew.
"Mr Andrews has taken a personal interest in East Timor for some time. I met him in Ireland early this year and urged him to visit East Timor. He subsequently visited Jakarta and East Timor in April, met with President Habibie and Xanana Gusmao [the imprisoned rebel leader], and with East Timorese leaders in Dili," said Mr Carrascalao.
"But more importantly, perhaps, he also met ordinary Timorese, innocent people traumatised by the Indonesian militia's slaughter of their loved ones, saw the Indonesian generals reviewing the militia parade which preceded the Dili massacre on Saturday, April 17th, and saw the beginnings of the massacre itself."