Chapter VIII. Consideration of ques tions under the responsibility of the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security Asia 20. The situation in East Timor 1 Decision of 7 May 1999 (3998th meeting): resolution prepared in the course of its prior resolution 1236 (1999) consultations. 5 On 5 May 1999, the Secretary-General submitted The draft resolution was thereupon put to the vote to the Council a report on the situation in East Timor. 2 and adopted unanimously as resolution 1236 (1999), In his report, the Secretary-General recalled that since which reads: 1983 the Governments of Indonesia and Portugal had The Security Council , undertaken, through his good offices, to find a just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution Recalling its previous resolutions on the situation in East to the question of East Timor. Those efforts had Timor, culminated in the signature, on 5 May 1999, of an Recalling also General Assembly resolutions 1514 (XV) overall Agreement between the two Governments, 3 of 14 December 1960, 1541 (XV) of 15 December 1960 and which had entrusted him with the task of organizing 2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970 and Assembly resolutions on and conducting a popular consultation to ascertain the question of East Timor, in particular resolution 37/30 of 23 November 1982, whether the people of East Timor accepted or rejected a proposed constitutional framework providing for a Bearing in mind the sustained efforts of the Governments special autonomy for East Timor within Indonesia. The of Indonesia and Portugal since July 1983, through the good Agreement also requested him to establish a offices of the Secretary-General, to find a just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution to the question of East United Nations mission to conduct the consultation. Timor, Two supplementary agreements between the United Nations and the two Governments had been signed on Welcoming the progress made at the last round of talks the same date, on the modalities for the popular between the Governments of Portugal and Indonesia, under the auspices of the Secretary-General, leading to the conclusion of a consultation of the people of East Timor through a series of agreements in New York on 5 May 1999, direct ballot and security arrangements. 4 Commending in particular the efforts of the Personal At its 3998th meeting, held on 7 May 1999 in Representative of the Secretary-General in this regard, accordance with the understanding reached in its prior Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General, consultations, the Council included the report of the Secretary-General in its agenda and began Taking note also of the concerns expressed in the report of consideration of the item entitled “The situation in the Secretary-General regarding the security situation in East Timor”. After the adoption of the agenda, the President Timor, (Gabon) invited the representatives of Indonesia and 1. Welcomes the concluding of the Agreement Portugal, at their request, to participate in the between Indonesia and Portugal on 5 May 1999 on the question discussion without a vote. He also drew the attention of of East Timor (the General Agreement); the members of the Council to the text of a draft 2. Welcomes also the concluding of the Agreements __________________ between the United Nations and the Governments of Indonesia 1 As from the 4041st meeting of the Council, held on and Portugal also on 5 May 1999 regarding security 3 September 1999, the wording of the item “The arrangements and the modalities for the popular consultation of situation in Timor” was revised to read “The situation in the East Timorese through a direct ballot; East Timor”. 3. Welcomes further the intention of the 2 S/1999/513. Secretary-General to establish as soon as practicable a 3 Ibid., annex I. United Nations presence in East Timor, with a view to assisting 4 Ibid., annexes II and III. in the implementation of those Agreements, in particular by: __________________ 5 S/1999/520. 09-25533 633 Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council (a) Conducting a popular consultation of the East the necessary security situation exists for the peaceful Timorese people on the acceptance or rejection of a implementation of the consultation process; constitutional framework for autonomy for East Timor, 11. Decides to remain seized of the matter. scheduled for 8 August 1999, in accordance with the General Agreement; Decision of 11 June 1999 (4013th meeting): (b) Making available a number of civilian police resolution 1246 (1999) officers to act as advisers to the Indonesian Police in the discharge of their duties in East Timor and, at the time of the On 22 May 1999, pursuant to resolution consultation, to supervise the escorting of ballot papers and 1236 (1999), the Secretary-General submitted to the boxes to and from the polling sites; Council a report on the question of East Timor, 4. Stresses the importance of the requests made to the proposing the establishment of the United Nations Secretary-General in the General Agreement to report the result Mission in East Timor (UNAMET). 6 In his report, the of the popular consultation to the Security Council and the Secretary-General provided a detailed description of General Assembly, as well as to the Governments of Indonesia the consultation process to be conducted by the United and Portugal and the East Timorese people, and, during the Nations, as well as his recommendations on the interim period between the conclusion of the popular consultation and the start of the implementation of either option, mandate, size, structure and budget of the Mission. He an autonomy within Indonesia or transition to independence, to stressed that UNAMET must have the confidence and maintain an adequate United Nations presence in East Timor; backing of the Council, full cooperation of the Indonesian authorities, and the required resources to 5. Stresses also the responsibility of the Government of Indonesia to maintain peace and security in East Timor in carry out its tasks. The Secretary-General noted that order to ensure that the consultation is carried out in a fair and the situation in East Timor remained tense and volatile. peaceful way and in an atmosphere free of intimidation, violence He expressed the hope that all necessary steps would or interference from any side and to ensure the safety and be taken to improve security, so that the consultation security of United Nations and other international staff and process could move forward in a secure and peaceful observers in East Timor; atmosphere. In conclusion, he requested the Council to 6. Stresses further the importance of the assistance of approve the mandate of the Mission and the modalities the Government of Indonesia in ensuring that the United Nations for the implementation of the popular consultation is able to carry out all the tasks entrusted to it for the process. implementation of the agreements; At its 4013th meeting, held on 11 June 1999 in 7. Welcomes the establishment by the Secretary- accordance with the understanding reached in its prior General of a trust fund to enable Member States to make voluntary contributions to assist in the financing of the consultations, the Council included the report of the United Nations presence in East Timor, and urges all Member Secretary-General on its agenda. After the adoption of States who are in a position to do so to contribute without delay; the agenda, the President (Gambia) invited the representatives of Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand 8. Requests the Secretary-General to keep the Security Council closely informed of the situation in East Timor, to and Portugal, at their request, to participate in the report to it as soon as possible, and in any event by discussion without the right to vote. He also drew the 24 May 1999, on the implementation of the present resolution attention of the Council to the text of a draft resolution and of the agreements referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 above, prepared in the course of its prior consultations. 7 The inter alia, specifying the detailed modalities of the consultation President also drew attention to several documents: a process, to make detailed recommendations to the Council for letter dated 11 May 1999 from the representative of decision on the mandate, size, structure and budget of the United Germany addressed to the Secretary-General, Nations mission, including civilian police officers envisaged in paragraph 3 above, and to report to the Council thereafter every transmitting the statement on East Timor issued on fourteen days; 7 May 1999 by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union, welcoming the signing of the 9. Expresses its intention to take a prompt decision on agreement on the future of East Timor by the the establishment of a United Nations mission on the basis of the __________________ report referred to in paragraph 8 above; 6 S/1999/595. For the composition and mandate of the 10. Requests the Secretary-General to inform the Mission, see chapter V, “Subsidiary organs of the Council prior to the start of voter registration on whether, on the Security Council”. basis of the objective evaluation of the United Nations mission, 7 S/1999/666. 634 09-25533 Chapter VIII. Consideration of ques tions under the responsibility of the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security Secretary-General, Portugal and Indonesia; 8 a letter and internationally acceptable solution to the question of East dated 27 May 1999 addressed to the President of the Timor, Security Council by the representative of Indonesia, Welcoming the appointment of the Special Representative pointing out that certain aspects of the report of the of the Secretary-General for the East Timor Popular Secretary-General depicted an imbalanced picture of Consultation, and reiterating its support for the efforts of the the prevailing realities; 9 and a letter dated 7 June 1999 Personal Representative of the Secretary-General for East addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of Timor, the Security Council by the representative of 1.