What is the origin of the United Nations involvement in East Timor?
East Timor has been on the international agenda since 1960, when the United Nations General Assembly placed the territory on its list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. At that time, East Timor was administered by Portugal. In 1974, Portugal sought to establish a provisional government and a popular assembly which would determine the status of East Timor. Civil war broke out between those who favoured independence and those who advocated integration with Indonesia. Unable to control the situation, Portugal withdrew. Shortly thereafter, Indonesia intervened militarily and later integrated East Timor as its 27th province. The United Nations never recognised the integration, and both the Security Council and the General Assembly called for Indonesia’s withdrawal. Beginning in 1982, at the request of the Assembly, successive Secretaries-General have held regular talks with the two countries aimed at resolving the status of the territory. In 1997, Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated his res
