United Nations - At the insistence of China the UN Security Council has dropped a reference to an inquiry into abuses of human rights from its draft resolution to set up the UN administration in East Timor, diplomats said late last night.
The UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, has decided to appoint a Brazilian UN official as the interim head of the UN administration in East Timor that will lead the territory to independence, diplomats said. He is Mr Sergio Vieira de Mello, under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs.
Meanwhile terror groups were still infiltrating East Timor yesterday as the multinational forces refused to comment on resistance reports that a militia assault would be launched next week on the isolated enclave of Oecussi.
Meanwhile, 30 members of the Irish Army Ranger Wing set off on the last leg of their trip to to East Timor yesterday from Darwin.
The independence leader, Mr Xanana Gusmao, is to speak at the governor's office in Dili this morning, after slipping into East Timor late last night.