To return to an issue that has been discussed here in the past, I have just returned from a five day visit to East Timor where I witnessed at first hand the positive role the UN is playing in helping this fledgling democracy. The East Timor experience shows how strong a force for good the UN can be when its members act in a united manner. There is no doubt that the recent developments in this crisis have the potential to weaken the authority and standing of the United Nations. The Government is committed to working to ensure that the UN will overcome this crisis and continue as the centre of an effective system of collective international security.