Assets, border issues await RI's envoy to E. Timor<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Newly installed Ambassador Ahmed Bey Sofwan said assets,
\nreconciliation and border issues would be high on his agenda as
\nthe country's first envoy to East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"I would like to focus on reconciliation between East Timorese
\nliving in that country and those who still live in West Timor,\"
\nAhmed said after his installment ceremony on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Over 20,000 East Timorese, mostly former pro-Jakarta militia
\nmembers and their families, live in refugee camps in West Timor.
\nThey are reluctant to return to East Timor for fear that they
\nwill be prosecuted for rights abuses committed in 1999.<\/p>\n
Ahmed, a former high-ranking official at the National
\nIntelligence Agency (BIN), was installed on Thursday along with
\nseven other new envoys, including politician Jacob Tobing, who
\nwas appointed ambassador to South Korea, and Makarim Wibisono,
\nwho will serve as the permanent representative to the United
\nNations in Geneva.<\/p>\n
\"I do not think my previous position in BIN has anything to do
\nwith this appointment. Working in BIN does not necessarily mean
\nthat I am a spy like James Bond,\" said Ahmed.<\/p>\n
Ahmed's appointment comes some 18 months after East Timor sent
\nRev. Arlindo Marcal to Jakarta as its first ambassador to
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The installment of the Indonesian ambassador will definitely
\nsupport the ongoing negotiations between the two countries on
\nvarious residual issues,\" Marcal told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said his office was currently collecting data on 6,000
\nasset claims in East Timor by Indonesians.<\/p>\n
\"Only after the Indonesian government completes the data will
\nwe send the cases to Dili for verification and further
\nprocessing,\" the ambassador said.<\/p>\n
Jakarta and Dili have met twice to discuss, among other
\nissues, Indonesian assets in East Timor and have agreed to set up
\na subcommittee to deal with asset claims. The subcommittee,
\nhowever, has yet to be formed.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said that with the
\nappointment of Ahmed as Indonesia's ambassador to East Timor, the
\nongoing negotiations on land borders and assets could move
\nforward.<\/p>\n
\"We have to conclude discussions on about 10 percent of land
\nborder issues before we can open new negotiations on maritime
\nborders. The border issues will be the main duty of the envoy,\"
\nHassan said.<\/p>\n
He said the decision to appoint Ahmed as Indonesia's
\nambassador to East Timor had nothing to do with his position as a
\nsenior intelligence officer, but rather his capabilities and
\nqualifications.<\/p>\n
Ahmed served as deputy head of Indonesia's Trade Office in
\nTaipei before joining BIN.<\/p>\n
List of envoys installed Thursday.
\n----------------------------------------------------------------<\/p>\n
Name Country
\n-----------------------------------------------------------------
\nMakarim Wibisono Permanent Representative to UN Geneva
\nAhmed Bey Sofwan East Timor
\nNurrachman Oerip Cambodia
\nHertomo Reksodiputro Tunisia
\nNuni Turniati Joko Romania
\nJacob Tobing South Korea
\nWarmas Hassan Saputra Bangladesh
\nHupudiro Supardi Zimbabwe
\n----------------------------------------------------------------<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/assets-border-issues-await-ris-envoy-to-e-timor-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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