Mark Riley, New York – The Indonesian ambassador to the United Nations was ordered to appear before a special session of the Security Council yesterday to face international anger over his country's handling of the East Timor bloodshed.
The move came as the Portuguese delegation began a rearguard action to have an emergency UN peacekeeping force placed on standby to go into the territory if the situation deteriorates.
At the same time, the UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, has summoned the foreign ministers of Indonesia and Portugal back to New York for a fresh series of meetings in an attempt to smooth the dangerous path to East Timor's expected independence.
The meetings are scheduled to take place within a fortnight, before the East Timor issue is discussed at the next session of the UN's General Assembly.
Indonesia's head of mission in New York, Mr Makarim Wibisono, yesterday faced stern criticism from the US and British representatives before being directed by the Security Council to relay its condemnation of this week's violence to his Government.
The president of the Security Council, Mr Peter van Walsum of the Netherlands, later said that the council had demanded that the Indonesian Government take immediate steps to prevent more violence.
Mr Annan yesterday called on Indonesia to ensure that those responsible for the violence were arrested.
UN officials said the Secretary-General had been making regular telephone calls to the Indonesian President, Dr B.J.Habibie, and the Foreign Minister, Mr Ali Alatas, to reinforce the UN's concerns.
Portugal's UN ambassador, Mr Antonio Monteiro, urged the Security Council to bring forward its contingency plans for a major peacekeeping presence in East Timor.
"We want the council to consider the need to reinforce security, including a UN force if the Indonesian authorities cannot keep the peace," he said.
"We want the president of the council to be aware that members would have to act very quickly if an emergency arises. A force, if needed, could help the Indonesians perform their duties." But Mr Annan's spokesman later said that no formal moves were being made towards assembling a force.
He said the agreement between the UN, Indonesia and Portugal establishing the framework for the East Timorese self-determination process was explicit in leaving security issues in Indonesia's hands. That position had not been changed by this week's killings, he said.
Portugal's push for peacekeepers highlighted growing tensions between it and Indonesia.
All countries, other than Australia and Indonesia, recognise Portugal as the country with administrative control over its former colony of East Timor.
UN officials said last night that Portugal had pressed the issue of UN peacekeepers at a meeting of senior officials from the UN, Indonesia and Portugal in Lisbon last week.
Indonesia was given a draft UN plan outlining its intention to send in as many as 15,000 peacekeepers in the final phase of self-determination if this week's poll results in a move towards independence.
The Indonesians countered with concerns that Portugal might seek to resume formal control of East Timor if the outcome of the ballot forces Jakarta to relinquish its claims of sovereignty over the island territory.
The agreement signed by Mr Alatas and his Portuguese counterpart, Mr Jaime Gama, stipulates that the territory would fall under UN administration in what is expected to be a prolonged transitional period of up to four years if the East Timorese opt for independence.