Statement on United Nations Security Council Action on East Timor

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.