Fed: Cosgrove says 50-60 troops to stay in East Timor

AAP General News (Australia)
12-15-2003
Fed: Cosgrove says 50-60 troops to stay in East Timor

Defence chief General PETER COSGROVE says Australia will leave about 50 or 60 troops
to assist with training of the East Timorese military once the peacekeeping force comes
home.

But General COSGROVE has rejected suggestions that Australia could continue to deploy
peacekeepers beyond the end of the United Nations mandate on May the 20th.

He says he understands that when the mandate runs out, Australia will withdraw all
of the peacekeeping force.

But he's told a parliamentary committee Australia has an arrangement with the East
Timorese which is separate to that program.

He says 50 to 60 personnel will remain in East Timor, depending on training needs,
once the 400 peacekeepers head home.

AAP RTV mb/jas/jmt

KEYWORD: TIMOR COSGROVE (CANBERRA)

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