US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Daily Press Briefing Index
Wednesday, September 15, 1999
Briefer: James P. Rubin
SUMMARY:
INDONESIA (East Timor) 2 Congressional consultations regarding peacekeeping force / humanitarian interest
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
…
QUESTION: Well, here's a simple one: In the last couple of days, what has the administration been doing, that you know
of, to consult with Congress about the operation in East Timor, and what kind of a reception are you getting?
MR. RUBIN: Yes, a number of administration officials, including the President, have been consulting with Congress about
this operation, and essentially indicating that we do think it's important for us to participate; that having a role in
the logistics, in the communications and in the intelligence area is an appropriate role for the United States, because
these are capabilities that we have unique expertise in; that an ally of ours - a very close ally, Australia, who has
been with us through thick and thin - has asked for our assistance, and we think, therefore, it would be appropriate to
help.
We are talking about hundreds of American service men and women, not thousands. I think, in general, there has been a
recognition by members of Congress that this kind of an assistance to the Australians, and others from Asia -- including
Thailand and the Philippines and Korea and perhaps Malaysia and others who are intending to contribute -- is an
appropriate way for us to share the burden without bearing the full brunt of it.
QUESTION: The US administration being pressed as to what national security interest - or is the humanitarian situation
compelling enough that there is a disposition to go along with this limited involvement?
MR. RUBIN: Well, we think there is a national security interest in our participation, and the national security interest
is a very simple one: Indonesia is a country -- the fourth-largest country in the world, the largest Muslim country --
that has been going through profound changes in the last year moving from an authoritarian dictatorship to the
beginnings of a real democracy, and that development of Indonesia is of interest to the United States, in and of itself,
and because Indonesia stands astride critical sea lanes and lines of communication for our forces and our goods and
services around the world.
If Indonesia is unable to deal with a situation like East Timor -- if it were to continue to spin out of control -- it
could affect the future of Indonesia, and thus our national security. Secondly, there is a humanitarian interest. We do
believe that we should look at how to be helpful, where we reasonably can be helpful, where our unique capabilities can
make a difference, and that is why we believe it would be appropriate to help ensure that the hundreds of thousands of
people who are suffering get relief.
But again, what happens here is that people often try to develop a simple formula for what the United States should and
shouldn't do, and there is no simple formula for American intervention, or American use of force. That is what the
President, and the Secretary of State, are paid to decide: not to simply plug in a formula, but to make the judgment
calls that are necessary in cases like this.
ENDS