Brussels, 12/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - On 7 September, the French Presidency made the following declaration on behalf of the EU:
"The EU condemns with the utmost resolve the aggression perpetrated against a UNHCR team on 6 September in West Timor which resulted in the tragic deaths of three of its staff. It deplores the current state of insecurity in West Timor which is also affecting the security of East Timor and is forcing the UN to interrupt humanitarian aid to the refugees and take steps to withdraw international staff and part of the local staff. The EU urgently demands that the Indonesian authorities apprehend and try the perpetrators of this aggression, put an end to the destabilising activities of the militias and guarantee the safety of the refugees as well as that of the humanitarian and international staff in West Timor so that the latter can rapidly resume their activities. The EU would recall the urgent need for a settlement at the earliest opportunity of the question of the refugees currently in West Timor."