Der finner du blant annet det som er vedlagt nedenfor. Legg merke til
hvordan t.o.m. den mørkeblå konservative regjeringa til John Howard nå
kritiserer USA fordi amerikanerne holder tilbake m.h.p. en internasjonal
fredsstyrke. At Australia kommer med en slik kritkk uttrykker en
internasjonal tendens som jeg mener er bra..
Trond Andresen
>................
> Peacekeepers
>
> The United Nations is reported to be planning for a
> 5,000-7,000 strong international force to quell the violence
> in East Timor.
>
> The Washington Post newspaper, quoting UN and US
> officials, says planning is well advanced but such a
> decision would need the approval of the Indonesian
> Government and the UN Security Council.
>
> The Washington Post says diplomats now expect the
> United Nations to give Indonesian President BJ Habibie
> three or four days to demonstrate whether he can restore
> order before making any decision on a peacekeeping
> force.
>
> The pressure for a peacekeeping force has been
> increasing today, despite the announcement by Jakarta
> that martial law was to be imposed in East Timor.
>
> But Australia is struggling to convince the United States to
> commit to a peacekeeping force.
>
> Australia is offering to send 2,000 military personnel to
> East Timor as part of a multi-national force.
>
> Australia says it is ready to take a leading role in a
> peacekeeping force.
>
> It would operate with Indonesian
> approval, perhaps even in
> partnership with the Indonesian
> military.
>
> Prime Minister John Howard has
> spoken to the United Nations about a
> force involving New Zealand,
> Canada, Britain, Thailand, Malaysia
> and the Philippines.
>
> But the United States is less willing,
> pointing to its existing role in the
> Balkans and opposition to any Timor
> commitment in the Pentagon and
> Congress.
>
> Australia is pressing, saying it would
> look strange if the US were not
> involved.
>
>
> Martial law
>
> The push for a peacekeeping force
> has continued even after the
> Indonesian Government announced it
> was invoking martial law in East
> Timor.
>
> Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander
> Downer says the declaration of
> martial law is Indonesia's last roll of
> the dice.
>
> Prime Minister John Howard says his
> patience is also being tested.
>
> "I will only be reassured when I see
> an improvement on the streets of
> Dili," Mr Howard said.
>
>
> Slaughter
>
> Mr Downer says there is a slaughter taking place in East
> Timor.
>
> But he says there is a lot of resistance in the United States
> Congress to committing American troops to a
> peacekeeping force.
>
> "We really would want the support of the United States," he
> said.
>
> "I don't think countries like Australia, the US, other liberal
> democracies around the world can just turn a blind eye to
> the slaughter that is going on in East Timor."
>
> Mr Downer said the US was reluctant to commit troops
> because of other military deployments such as the
> Balkans.
>
> "There is quite a lot of resistance in the Congress to US
> involvement, that's certainly been the feedback I myself
> have had from Congressmen I've spoken to in recent
> times," he said.
>
> "But there again I don't think a country with the depth of
> moral commitment and strength of liberal democratic
> traditions like the US would want to turn its back on a
> people who are being slaughtered."
Å, nei....hvem ville trodd noe så stygt om USA?
Som leseren skjønner går jeg ikke god for alt den australske utenrisminister
sier..... ;-) , men det var heller ikke mitt hovedpoeng.