United Nations Security Council Resolution 1246 (1999)
Adopted by the Security Council at its 4013th meeting,
on 11 June 1999
The Security Council,
Recalling its previous resolutions on the situation in East Timor, in particular resolution
1236 (1999) of 7 May 1999,
Recalling the Agreement between Indonesia and Portugal on the question of East Timor of 5 May 1999
(the General Agreement) and the Agreements between the United Nations and the Governments of Indonesia and Portugal of the same
date regarding the modalities for the popular consultation of the East Timorese through a direct ballot and regarding security
arrangements (the Security Agreement) (S/1999/513, annexes I-III),
Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General on the Question of East Timor of 22 May 1999 (S/1999/595),
Noting with concern the assessment of the Secretary-General contained in that report that the security
situation in East Timor remains "extremely tense and volatile",
Taking note of the pressing need for reconciliation between the various competing factions within East Timor,
Welcoming the fruitful cooperation of the Government of Indonesia and the local authorities in East Timor with
the United Nations,
Taking note of the letter from the Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations to the President
of the Security Council of 7 June 1999 (S/1999/652),
Welcoming the conclusion of consultations between the Government of Indonesia and the United Nations on
the deployment of military liaison officers within the mission established by this resolution,
Bearing in mind the sustained efforts of the Governments of Indonesia and Portugal since July 1983, through
the good offices of the Secretary-General, to find a just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution to the question of
East Timor,
Welcoming the appointment of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the East Timor Popular
Consultation, and reiterating its support for the efforts of the Personal Representative of the Secretary-General for East Timor,
- Decides to establish until 31 August 1999 the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) to organize and conduct
a popular consultation, scheduled for 8 August 1999, on the basis of a direct, secret and universal ballot, in order to ascertain
whether the East Timorese people accept the proposed constitutional framework providing for a special autonomy for East Timor within
the unitary Republic of Indonesia or reject the proposed special autonomy for East Timor, leading to East Timor's separation from
Indonesia, in accordance with the General Agreement and to enable the Secretary-General to discharge his responsibility under
paragraph 3 of the Security Agreement;
- Authorizes until 31 August 1999 the deployment within UNAMET of up to 280 civilian police officers to act as advisers
to the Indonesian Police in the discharge of their duties and, at the time of the consultation, to supervise the escort of ballot
papers and boxes to and from the polling sites;
- Authorizes until 31 August 1999 the deployment within UNAMET of 50 military liaison officers to maintain contact
with the Indonesian Armed Forces in order to allow the Secretary-General to discharge his responsibilities under the General Agreement
and the Security Agreement;
- Endorses the Secretary-General's proposal that UNAMET should also incorporate the following components:
- a political component responsible for monitoring the fairness of the political environment, for ensuring the freedom of all
political and other non-governmental organizations to carry out their activities freely and for monitoring and advising the Special
Representative on all matters with political implications,
- an electoral component responsible for all activities related to registration and voting,
- an information component responsible for explaining to the East Timorese people, in an objective and impartial manner without
prejudice to any position or outcome, the terms of the General Agreement and the proposed autonomy framework, for providing information
on the process and procedure of the vote and for explaining the implications of a vote in favour or against the proposal;
- Notes the intention of the Governments of Indonesia and Portugal to send an equal number of representatives to
observe all the operational phases of the consultation process both inside and outside East Timor;
- Welcomes the intention of the Secretary-General to conclude with the Government of Indonesia, as soon as possible, a
status-of-mission agreement and urges the early conclusion of negotiations with a view to the full and timely deployment of
UNAMET;
- Calls upon all parties to cooperate with UNAMET in the implementation of its mandate, and to ensure the security and
freedom of movement of its staff in carrying out that mandate in all areas of East Timor;
- Approves the modalities for the implementation of the popular consultation process scheduled for 8 August 1999 as
set out in paragraphs 15 to 18 of the report of the Secretary-General of 22 May 1999;
- Stresses once again the responsibility of the Government of Indonesia to maintain peace and security in East Timor, in
particular in the present security situation referred to in the report of the Secretary-General, in order to ensure that the popular
consultation is carried out in a fair and peaceful way and in an atmosphere free of intimidation, violence or interference from any
side and to ensure the safety and security of United Nations and other international staff and observers in East Timor;
- Welcomes in this regard the decision taken by the Government of Indonesia to establish a ministerial team to monitor
and ensure the security of the popular consultation in accordance with Article 3 of the General Agreement and paragraph 1 of the
Security Agreement;
- Condemns all acts of violence from whatever quarter and calls for an end to such acts and the laying down
of arms by all armed groups in East Timor, for the necessary steps to achieve disarmament and for further steps in order to ensure
a secure environment devoid of violence or other forms of intimidation, which is a prerequisite for the holding of a free and fair
ballot in East Timor;
- Requests all parties to ensure that conditions exist for the comprehensive implementation of the popular
consultation, with the full participation of the East Timorese people;
- Urges that every effort be made to make the Commission on Peace and Stability operative, and in particular
stresses the need for the Indonesian authorities to provide security and personal protection for members of the Commission
in cooperation with UNAMET;
- Reiterates its request to the Secretary-General to keep the Security Council closely informed of the situation, and to
continue to report to it every fourteen days on the implementation of its resolutions and of the Tripartite Agreements and on the
security situation in East Timor;
- Decides to remain seized of the matter.
United States Institute of Peace -- 1200 17th Street NW -- Washington, DC 20036
(202) 457-1700 (phone) -- (202) 429-6063 (fax)
Send Feedback
