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THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                    (Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                 September 10, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

Let me address the deteriorating situation in East Timor. I am alarmed by reports I have just received of attacks on the United Nations compound in Dili.

It is now clear that the Indonesian military is aiding and abetting the militia violence. This is simply unacceptable. The actions of the Indonesian military in East Timor stand in stark contrast to the commitments they have given to the international community.

The Indonesian government and military must reverse this course, to do everything possible to stop the violence, and allow an international force to make possible the restoration of security.

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