A planned meeting has been postponed between East Timor's new Defence Minister Jose Ramos Horta and Alfredo Reinado, one of the leaders of 600 sacked members of the security forces. Mr Ramos Horta, who also retains the role of Foreign Minister, had been planning to fly to the mountains to the south of the capital where Mr Reinado remains holed up with a group of armed military policemen.No reason was given for the postponement of the talks on bringing the rival factions of the police and military together for peace talks.
Instead, the Minister went for talks with a separate group of estranged military officers on the outskirts of Dili. A spokesman said the talks went well.
Australia's military commander, Brigadier Mick Slater, has said he will disarm the various groups and provide a safe venue for them to work out their differences. Brigadier Slater says more police are needed.
The United Nations special envoy to East Timor, Ian Martin, will brief the Security Council this week on the situation there. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric says the council will then consider whether to send more UN troops to East Timor. "One of the many discussions that we need to have with the Security Council is the way ahead for the UN, what sort of presence and posture the UN will have in the coming weeks and months in Timor," he said.
| How 'bout a League of Nations mandate for the Aussies to run the place for a few decades? |