|
Australia–East Timor relations refer to the bilateral relations between Australia and East Timor. Both countries are near neighbors with close political and trade ties. East Timor, is the youngest and one of the poorest countries in Asia, lies about 610 kilometres northwest of the Australian city of Darwin and Australia has played a prominent role in the young republic's history. Australia has been the leading of international support for Timor-Leste during its first 10 years of independence, not only as the largest bilateral donor of development assistance, but also by providing a leadership role to ensure security and stability in the country. Australia led the military force that helped stabilize the country after it gained independence from Indonesia in 1999 and has been a major source of aid since. In recent years, relations between both countries have deteriorated as a result of the Australia–East Timor spying scandal. == History == Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam told Indonesia that his government would not oppose an annexation of East Timor in 1975,〔(Whitlam reveals his East Timor policy | Australian Broadcasting Service, 6 December 1999 )〕 a decision that quickly proved controversial at home. In October 1975, Indonesian troops poured across East Timor's border with Indonesian West Timor at the town of Balibo. Among those killed by the advancing Indonesian troops were five Australia-based journalists, who came to be known as the Balibo Five. Many in Australia and elsewhere〔( International Press Institute's appeal for UN investigation of reporters killed in East Timor )〕 were convinced that the murder of the unarmed reporters was intentional.〔(The Jakarta Post | Balibo killings: Beginnings of impunity? | Ati Nurbati, 9 February 2001 )〕 Australia and Indonesia concluded several contracts about the boundary between Timor-Leste and Australia during occupation time, which is causing several quarrels between independent Timor-Leste and its bigger neighbour.〔(Timor Sea Justice Campaign )〕 Timor-Leste reachieved their independence on 20 May 2002, after 24 years occupation by Indonesia and three years of UN administration. The process of Timor-Leste independence begins by a referendum arranged by United Nations, Indonesia and the former colonial power Portugal to choose between autonomy within Indonesia or independence, and eventually the Timor-Leste voted overwhelmingly for independence.〔(Frédéric Durand: ''Three centuries of violence and struggle in East Timor (1726-2008)'', Online Encyclopedia of Mass Violence )〕 Australia led the INTERFET during the following 1999 East Timorese crisis to stop Indonesian militias and army attacking the East Timorese civilians and building up the UN administration. Since 2002, Timor-Leste had begun as the first new sovereign nation of the 21st century. Australia's involvement with East Timor has deepened since independence, especially after the internal conflict in 2006 and the sending of Australian peacekeepers. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Australia–East Timor relations」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|