The United States should learn from the United Nations' successful role in East Timor, the country's foreign minister claimed today.
Speaking on the first anniversary of East Timor being granted independence from Indonesia, Mr Jose Ramos Horta said his country's experience and that of Kosovo shows the positive influence the UN could have in "Iraq's transition process".
In an interview, Mr Ramos Horta said: "The UN can be justly proud of what it has accomplished", adding that the country was now "one of the most peaceful areas in the entire region."
East Timor became fully independent on May 20th last year, less than three years after holding a UN-supervised referendum in which voters overwhelmingly opted to break away from Indonesia.
Indonesia had occupied it in 1975 after the former colonial ruler Portugal withdrew. The UN interevened in 1999 to put an end to violence against the population by pro-Indonesian militia.
There has been international dispute over the scope the UN should have in post-war Iraq. The United States and Britain yesterday put a revised draft resolution to the UN Security Council containing some concessions to countries that want the UN to have more say in forming an interim government in Iraq.
AFP
Paul Anderson adds:The Minister of State for Foreign Affiars, Mr Tom Kitt, who has responsibility for Development Cooperation and Human Rights, today paid tribute to the progress made by the country since its independnece.
"Timor Leste is an outstanding example of a country which has moved rapidly and positively from a situation of dire crisis to one in which its Government and people have taken their place amongst the nations of theworld," The Minister said.
East Timor is a priority for Irish foreign aid.