Australia plans East Timor troops drawdown

Australia plans to withdraw 100 troops from East Timor by early 2009 because the security situation has improved since trouble erupted in the tiny Pacific nation two years ago, Australia’s defence minister said today.

The drawdown of the largest foreign force in the fledgling democracy indicates a steady improvement in security since Dili invited the Australians in May 2006 to send 1,300 troops to restore law and order during a political crisis.