NZ Should Offer Peacekeepers For East Timor

The Green Party wants New Zealand to offer peacekeeping troops for service in East Timor.

“Peacekeepers will be needed to replace the Indonesian troops, in the transition to an independent East Timor,” said Green Party Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Keith Locke.

“Our troops proved themselves to be very competent peacekeepers on Bougainville.

“I’m sure it would encourage the United Nations to know they have Kiwi soldiers on call for service in East Timor.

“The Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said that independence might come quickly. In this scenario, peacekeepers would be even more necessary. There are many armed gangs on the island that could destabilise the situation,” said Mr Locke.