[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
[September 15, 1999]
[Page 1544]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on United Nations Security Council Action on East Timor
September 15, 1999

    Late last night the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved 
Resolution 1264, which authorizes a multinational force to restore 
stability in East Timor, at the invitation of the Indonesian Government. 
Now we must move with purpose and dispatch to protect the innocent 
people whose lives are still threatened by those seeking to overturn the 
results of a fair vote. I welcome the passage of Resolution 1264 and 
look forward to working with the Government of Australia and others in 
the international community to put together an effective force. I have 
just been briefed by Admiral Blair of 
CINCPAC on our close cooperation with Australia, and I hope the force 
can deploy in a matter of days. The United States is prepared to 
contribute to this operation, and we are discussing with our Australian 
allies and the Congress an appropriate U.S. role.