FED: Brereton attacks Downer on Timor force statement

AAP General News (Australia)
08-10-1999
FED: Brereton attacks Downer on Timor force statement

CANBERRA, Aug 10 AAP - Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer was today accused of
failing to be truthful about differences between Australia and the United States over their
policies on peacekeeping in East Timor.

"What we have seen is a complete inability on the part of the Foreign Minister to tell the
truth," Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Laurie Brereton told ABC radio.

"The Foreign Minister again and again has been completely deceitful in his response to
questions on differences between the United States and Australia in respect of East Timor
policy."

Mr Brereton's accusation follows a parliamentary explanation late last night by Mr Downer
that the issue of using peacekeepers had been raised hypothetically in discussions between US
and Australian military officials in June.

But he maintained his earlier stance that the issue had never been raised officially or
formally in discussions between the governments and that the suggestion did not represent US
policy.

Mr Downer, who has denied reports that Australia rejected a US request to jointly plan
peacekeeping efforts, also told parliament Australian officials gave a non-committal response
to the informal request.

The Melbourne Age today reported a top-level diplomatic source as saying the US military
contingency plans for extreme circumstances in East Timor included a massive deployment of US
troops, including marines for peace enforcement, as distinct from UN peacekeeping.

The paper reported US military officials told Australian officials in June they were
factoring Darwin into their military plans and sought agreement to attach Australian military
liaison officers to a possible US peace enforcement mission, a request rejected by the
government.

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KEYWORD: TIMOR AUST DAYLEAD

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