UN General Assembly
1999

suffering that, tragically, were inadequately addressed. We should therefore pay tribute to the energetic reaction of the international community to the wave of violence and terror that struck East Timor in recent weeks and to the resulting mobilization of a multinational force tasked with guaranteeing the peace and security of that territory, protecting and supporting the United Nations Mission in East Timor and facilitating the humanitarian assistance operations for the people of that territory. Let me offer my thanks to all those who have contributed to this outcome and, in particular, to the countries that have been willing to constitute this force. In this instance, and beyond the dramatic human aspects, the very credibility of the United Nations was at stake. How could the United Nations, having organized the popular consultation, betray the confidence placed in it by the people of East Timor? Although the reaction was not as prompt as the Timorese deserved and Portugal would have wished, the adoption of Security Council resolution 1264 (1999) shows the world that the Council