Australian General New Chief UN Military Advisor

Media Release
The Hon. John Moore,
MP Minister for Defence

Tuesday, 11 July 2000 MIN167/00

Australian General Appointed Chief UN Military Adviser

The Minister for Defence, John Moore, today said he welcomed the appointment of a senior member of the Australian Defence Force, Major General Tim Ford, to the position of chief Military Adviser to the United Nations. The appointment was made by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and announced today in New York.

"The Military Adviser is a key position in the United Nations. It advises the Secretary-General and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations on military aspects of UN peacekeeping, including the planning, structure, composition and management of peacekeeping operations," Mr Moore said.

"Major General Ford's appointment is testament to the high regard in which the Australian Defence Force is held, both by the United Nations and the wider international community. It follows our leadership of INTERFET in East Timor and our substantial, ongoing contribution to the UN Transitional Administration there.

"The appointment is also a further demonstration of Australia's longstanding and practical support for the United Nations, and for UN peacekeeping in particular. Australia has consistently advocated the need for a strengthened UN peacekeeping capability, of which an improved military advisory capacity is one necessary element," said Mr Moore.

Major General Ford was, until recently, the Chief of Staff of the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) in the Middle East. He has previously served in a variety of staff, training and regimental appointments in Australia and overseas, and commanded the Australian Army's 1st Division and its Deployable Joint Force Headquarters.

He is a graduate of the Royal Military College Duntroon, Sydney University, the Royal School of Artillery (United Kingdom), the Defence Services Staff College (India), the Joint Services Staff College, Canberra and the U.S. Army War College.

Major General Ford was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1998 for exceptional service to the Australian Army.

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