1999/479/CFSP: Council Common Position of 19 July 1999 concerning support for the popular consultation of the East Timorese people
Date: 1999-07-19
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: East Timor, diplomatic representation, observer, referendum, self-determination, the EU's international role

21. 7. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 188/1

(Acts adopted pursuant to Title V of the Treaty on European Union)

COUNCIL COMMON POSITION

of 19 July 1999

concerning support for the popular consultation of the East Timorese people

(1999/479/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in par-
ticular Article 15 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

The Governments of Indonesia and Portugal concluded
an agreement on 5 May 1999, based on the right to
self-determination, regarding the arrangements for the
the East Timorese people
popular consultation of
through a direct ballot on the acceptance or rejection of
a constitutional framework for autonomy, with rejection
leading to the independence of East Timor;

for

the proposals of

The European Council meeting in Cologne on 3 and 4
June 1999 warmly welcomed the signing of the New
York Agreements on East Timor and reaffirmed its
support
the United Nations
Secretary-General on setting up a United Nations
Mission in East Timor to organise the consultation
process of the East Timorese people and to ensure the
orderly transition to wide-ranging autonomy or inde-
pendence following the completion of the consultation
process;

(3) Within the

the

international

framework of

effort
coordinated by the United Nations,
the European
Community and its Member States have undertaken a
number of activities to provide assistance for the organ-
isation of the consultation process and humanitarian
assistance to the East Timorese people;

(4)

(5)

The European Council meeting in Cologne invited the
Council to consider the possibility of sending out a
European observation team to East Timor in accordance
with the provisions of the agreement on the arrange-
ments for the consultation process;

On 21 May 1999 the Council urged the Commission to
provide a timely and substantial financial contribution to
the United Nations Trust Fund established by United
Nations Security Council Resolution 1236 (1999),

ance with the Resolutions of the United Nations and with
Common Position 96/407/CFSP (1).

2.
The Union considers that the popular consultation of the
East Timorese people through a direct, secret and universal
ballot organised by the United Nations represents the best
opportunity for lasting stability in East Timor and emphasises
the need for a visible European Union presence during that
consultation process.

Article 2

The Council welcomes the intention of a number of Member
States to send observers to form a European Union observation
team to the consultation process which is being organised by
the United Nations.

Article 3

The Council notes that the Presidency has designated Mr David
Andrews as its personal representative for these matters, who
will be responsible,
in particular, for the statements of the
European Union Presidency.

Article 4

The Council notes that the Commission has directed its action
towards achieving the objective of
this Common Position,
where appropriate by pertinent Community measures.

Article 5

This Common Position shall take effect on the day of
adoption.

its

It shall expire on 30 September 1999.

Article 6

This Common Position shall be published in the Official
Journal.

HAS ADOPTED THIS COMMON POSITION:

Done at Brussels, 19 July 1999.

Article 1

1.
The aim of this Common Position is to contribute to
achieving a just and lasting settlement to the issue of East
Timor based on the principle of self-determination in accord-

For the Council

The President

T. HALONEN

(1) OJ L 168, 6.7.1996, p. 2.