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| Southeast Asia |
| Australia Ends Era In E. Timor |
| 2005-06-11 |
| EFL An era of recent Australian military operations ends next week when the flag is lowered at the Moleana forward operating base in East Timor and the base is handed over to the East Timorese military. This marks the end of Australia's peacekeeping involvement in what's now the independent nation of Timor Leste. The Moleana handover will be conducted on Monday with the ceremony to be attended by Timor Leste Prime Minister Dr Mari Alkatiri, UN special representative Dr Sukehiro Hasegawa and Australian army land commander Major General Ken Gillespie. Presiding over the occasion will be Lieutenant Colonel Brian Cox who said Australia could look back with pride at what had been achieved over the last six years. "It has been a privilege and an honour to be here as the last Australian national commander in Timor. This symbolises the end of the peacekeeping mission here. We have come a long way," he said from Moleana today. "That's it. It will be the end of an era. It's great in some ways. We came here in very difficult circumstances. Australia has significantly contributed to the security of this nation. We are leaving them in a position where they can actually grow and prosper." "The Australian Defence Force members I have had the privilege to lead are all proud of their efforts here and the efforts of the ADF members who have come before them." Colonel Cox said his troops had made a significant contribution to rebuilding of roads, communications, medical services and other infrastructure. What was once regarded as a major threat to East Timor, militia remnants in camps across the border, has simply faded away. |
| Posted by:Spavirt Pheng6042 |