The South African Government has welcomed the substantive agreements signed in New York on 5 May 1999 between the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia and Portugal, on the disputed territory of East Timor.
The South African Government believes that the agreements, concluded under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General, will provide an appropriate framework to address the needs of the people of East Timor. It is hoped that, despite reports of renewed violence in East Timor, the leaders of all parties will respect the provisions of the agreements and urge their followers to act with utmost restraint during this process of change.
South Africa will continue to support all the efforts by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Anan, and his Personal Representative, Ambassador Jamsheed Marker, to ensure a peaceful and lasting resolution to the problem of East Timor.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
PRETORIA
6 MAY 1999