EAST TIMOR: Reaction from US, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Don McKinnon, East Timorese Leaders APEC: Traffic and Ansett Strike

EAST TIMOR – US: The White House NSA Sandy Berger hopes a force of peace-keepers will deploy soon to East Timor. Indonesian President B.J. Habibe announced the change of heart on deployment in an address to the Nation in the early hours of the morning.

EAST TIMOR – UN: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has welcomed the decision. The command structure of any force in East Timor is not yet clear and will be negotiated in New York.

EAST TIMOR – EUROPE: Britain and Portugal have both welcomed the decision.

EAST TIMOR – AUSTRALIA: Australian Defence Minister John Moore believes the force may number around 7000. Aussie PM has thanked American offers of logistics support.

EAST TIMOR – NEW ZEALAND: NZ Prime Minister Jenny Shipley wants a special sitting of NZ’s Parliament before we send troops.

EAST TIMOR – DON MCKINNON: Don McKinnon says the decision is a victory for the international community and that it is up to the UN to work out the details. Mr McKinnon says the humanitarian crisis needs to be urgently addressed.

EAST TIMOR – EAST TIMORESE: Independence Leader Xanana Gusmao has described the decision as courageous. Jose Ramos Horta says there is still a sense of urgency.

APEC – TRAFFIC: Police say more traffic delays can be expected today in Auckland

ANSETT STRIKE: Ansett Pilots are on strike today and 150 flights have been cancelled. Showdown on Thursday over lock-out notice. Case in employment court tomorrow.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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