East Timor: Vieira de Mello Criticizes UN Rigidity 28 Jun-19:47

Rigid UN practices coupled by delays in distribution of World Bank funds are hampering progress on the reconstruction of East Timor, Sergio Vieira de Mello has told the UN Security Council. The head of the territory's UN transition administration (UNTAET) spoke before a Tuesday Council session in New York. Reconstruction is the most "exasperating" aspect of the UNTAET mission, he said, urging greater flexibility of UN regulations. "Something's not right when UNTAET can cost 692 million dollars and the budget of East Timor is little more than 59 million," Vieira de Mello stressed. "It should come as no surprise that the United Nations is targeted for so much criticism, while the East Timorese continue to suffer," he added. The UNTAET chief emphasized that the criticism would continue until the rules were changed. As an example, he cited the need for engineers to be given authorization to work not just in UN buildings but also on the construction of border posts and the airport, prisons and courts.

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