Fed: Indonesians accept apology for Australian spy UN

AAP General News (Australia)
04-18-2000
Fed: Indonesians accept apology for Australian spy UN

CANBERRA, April 18 AAP - The Indonesians had accepted a United Nations apology for
an Australian soldier involved in spying in West Timor, a UN spokeswoman said today.

The UN had requested the unnamed peacekeeper be sent back to Australia and apologised
for his espionage attempt, the Dili-based spokeswoman said.

The soldier, based in south-west Suai, had admitted paying $20 to an East Timorese
man last week to collect information about suspected militia bases around Atambua in Indonesian
West Timor, she said.

"Yesterday the first commander (of UN peacekeepers in East Timor Lieutenant-General
Jaime de los Santos) met (Indonesian defence force chief) Admiral Widodo at the border
to apologise," the spokeswoman said.

"But before that Brigadier Lewis (Australian Duncan Lewis), who is commander of sector
west, concretely apologised to his counterparts on the other side of the border."

The Indonesians had accepted the apology, she said.

"I guess Indonesia understands that one man is not the UN," the spokeswoman said.

"It was a unilateral action; it was one man who decided to do one thing that violated
the rules: The UN doesn't do spying."

The UN Transitional Authority in East Timor (UNTAET) had begun an inquiry, but it was
believed the incident was isolated, she said.

The spying came to light when Indonesian police heard that the East Timorese man was
talking about his deal with the Australian soldier.

"No one higher than him knew about this, no one in PKF (peacekeeping force) or the
anyone in the UNTAET," the spokeswoman said.

"We believe it was one man doing one unilateral thing."

Chief of the Australian Defence Force Admiral Chris Barrie had yet to reply to the
UN request for the soldier to be withdrawn from East Timor.

"We've requested he be repatriated but the admiral said he would consider that possibility,"

she said.

AAP rmg/mfh/it/bwl r

KEYWORD: TIMOR SPY UN

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