E Timor, UN play down unrest fears

East Timor's president and the United Nations played down reports yesterday that the tiny Asian nation was staggering under the weight of social and economic problems and on the brink of chaotic unrest.
The Australian daily newspaper reported this week that a confidential UN report found East Timor's shambolic police and legal system, economic turmoil and bitterly divided politics risked sparking violence similar to the unrest in 2006.
The unrest, triggered by the desertion of 600 troops, led to fighting among police, military and gangs that killed at least 37 people and caused around 100,000 of the country's one million people to flee their homes.
However Jose Ramos-Horta said there was no sign East Timor was set to slip into anarchy again.
"It's better if I read what (The Australian) is saying first, but I do want to say the situation in Timor Leste is very calm, there has been extraordinary progress on every front." Ramos-Horta told AFP, referring to the country by its Portuguese name.
"I believe that peace is gaining root in Timor Leste and anyone who suggests otherwise are either misinformed or pesimistic, or they want Timor to remain unstable so that they can have influence here," he said.
The UN mission in East Timor (UNMIT), which was established in the country in the wake of the 2006 violence refused to confirm or deny the existence of the confidential report, but said East Timor is progressing towards peace and stability.