Dili May 29, 2007 - A ceremony to mark International Peacekeepers' Day was held this morning to honour the 3,195 peacekeepers from 86 countries currently deployed in Timor-Leste.

Also today, the staff of UNMIT paid tribute to the 71 people who have been killed while serving for the United Nations since 1999 through a flower-laying ceremony.

In a speech this morning, the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary General for Timor-Leste, Eric Tan, recalled that UN personnel have been deployed continuously in Timor-Leste since 1999.

As mandated by Security Council Resolution 1704, UNMIT peacekeepers are contributing to Timor-Leste in the areas of security, electoral support, development and the strengthening of democracy and the rule of law.

"Today we are here to fulfill a very different role compared with the one before. We first assisted an emerging country to rebuild itself and recover from a long struggle.

Now we are assisting the second democratically elected President, and soon a new Government, to solidify, stabilize and make this young democracy sustainable. The evolution of our mandate is sure a most tangible sign that progress has been made," Mr Tan said.

Mr Tan thanked all of those currently serving and paid tribute to the civilian, police and military peacekeepers who made the ultimate sacrifice "in the service of peace".

International Peacekeepers' Day is celebrated across the world where there are more than 100,000 nationals from 115 deployed in 18 peacekeeping missions.

The ceremony was attended by the President of Timor-Leste Dr José Ramos-Horta, other representatives of the Timorese leadership, as well representatives from the diplomatic corps.

Dr Ramos-Horta said that the presence of the United Nations would be needed for some time, specifically in the areas of electoral support, reform of the security sector, the judiciary and other state institutions.

For more information please contact UNMIT Spokesperson Allison Cooper on +670 7230453