1. Alkatiri Agrees to Investigation of Start of Mayhem in East Timor
2. Timor Asks for More NZ Help
3. Troops to Minister: Does One Of Us Have To Die Before It’s War?
4. Security Treaty to Smooth Over Rift with Jakarta
5. Australia Hosts APEC Pandemic Influenza Exercise
6. Cheating Our Way Towards Kyoto

Austral Policy Forum 06-18A: Ten Questions About East Timor For Which We Need Answers – Richard Tanter

1. Alkatiri Agrees to Investigation of Start of Mayhem, Lindsay Murdoch, SMH, 2006-06-08

   East Timor’s Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri, has agreed to an international investigation into his handling of the country’s crisis, including claims that he ordered the shooting of civilian demonstrators. Mr Alkatiri denies responsibility for a violent demonstration in Dili on April 28, when a number of civilians were shot. He claims unnamed political forces have been trying to topple the Government through violence.

   • Alkatiri ‘Recruited Own Armed Force’, ABC Online, 2006-06-08

   • Increase in UN Presence in Timor-Leste Seen as Likely, UNIMSET, 2006-06-07

      

2. Timor Asks for More NZ Help, RNZ, TVNZ, 2006-06-08

   The East Timorese government has asked New Zealand for more people to be sent to help secure the stability of the country. Defence Minister Phil Goff says the government will consider the request but would want it to be part of a wider international effort. There are currently about 160 New Zealand defence force personnel in Timor, including 8 military police.

   • State Police ‘Shouldn’t Be Needed in E Timor’, ABC Online, 2006-06-07

   • No Quick Fix: Police in Timor to Stay, Says Keelty, Peter Hartcher, SMH, 2006-06-06

      

3. Troops to Minister: Does One of Us Have to Die Before It’s War? Cynthia Banham and Brendan Nicholson, Age, 2006-06-08

   Defence Minister Brendan Nelson angered troops when he told them their service in East Timor was not officially considered “warlike”. The soldiers fired questions at the minister until they were ordered to stop. This means that the 2600 Australian Defence Force personnel in East Timor will receive a non-warlike service allowance instead of the combat pay given to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    

4. Security Treaty to Smooth Over Rift with Jakarta, Mark Forbes, SMH, 2006-06-08

   Indonesia and Australia will commit to a historic security treaty when the PM, John Howard, meets President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono this month. The treaty is expected to include military-to-military co-operation, intelligence sharing and joint naval and surveillance patrols. Ties between armed forces will be strengthened by exchange and training programs. Australia will pledge support for Indonesia’s territorial integrity.

   • Indonesian Warships Still Patrolling Border Waters With Timor-Leste, Xinhua, People’s Daily, 2006-06-07

   • Indonesia Wants Permanent Military Ties with the US: President Yudhoyono, Antara, 2006-06-06

      

5. Australia Hosts APEC Pandemic Influenza Exercise, APEC Press Release 2006-06-06

   All 21 member economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) will take part in a major exercise on 7 June 2006 to test and strengthen regional communication networks in the event of an influenza pandemic. Detailed debriefs and evaluations will be conducted covering lessons learned, recommendations for improvement and possible next steps.

   • Australia Hosts APEC Pandemic Influenza Exercise, DFAT Background Brief

   • Bird Flu Monitor 2006-06-08

   • Avian Influenza, Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), University of Minnesota, 2006-06-08

      

6. Cheating Our Way Towards Kyoto, Clive Hamilton, SMH, 2006-06-08

   The shift of government research funding from renewables to geosequestration and the recent interest in nuclear power suggest that the Government’s strategy is to actively delay any moves to temper the growth of Australia’s emission’s for 20 years or more.

   • Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, Australia Institute, Briefing Paper, January 2006 [PDF]

      

Austral Policy Forum 06-18A: Ten Questions About East Timor For Which We Need Answers – Richard Tanter

Richard Tanter, Acting Director of Nautilus Institute at RMIT, argues that since “The dominant characteristic of the coverage of East Timor in the past two weeks has been utter confusion, both inside and outside the country, this is really a time for a little humility amongst the foreign pundits and experts.” Tanter asks “ten questions to which we need some substantial answers and preferably some serious debate.”

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