Cook expresses concern over rights situation in E. Timor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Visiting British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook
\nexpressed concern yesterday over the current human rights
\nsituation in East Timor and indicated the possible cancellation
\nof some arms sales from his country to Indonesia over the issue.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said in a separate
\npress conference that Jakarta could not accept arms sales being
\nlinked to human rights issue, and that efforts are continuously
\nmade to provide the province with autonomy.<\/p>\n
During his meetings with President Soeharto and Alatas
\nyesterday, Cook suggested the Indonesian government should be
\nmore willing to hear the views of the population of East Timor.<\/p>\n
Stressing that no country should lecture another on its
\nduties, he said he also offered a constructive partnership with
\nIndonesia to assist human rights promotion here.<\/p>\n
On the issue of arms sales, he said: "Britain has recently
\nreviewed our criteria for arms sales in the light of our
\ncommitment to human rights... And the criteria will be applied to
\nIndonesia on the same basis as any other country".<\/p>\n
Alatas, however, said that Indonesia could easily turn to
\nother countries if Britain was firm in its commitment.<\/p>\n
Cook said that finding a lasting solution to the conflict in
\nEast Timor would be of immediate benefit not only to those who
\nlive there, but also for Indonesian people and the government.<\/p>\n
Cook arrived here yesterday for a two-day visit as part of his
\nSoutheast Asian trip that also includes Malaysia, the Philippines
\nand Singapore.<\/p>\n
Apart from his meeting with Soeharto and Alatas, he also met
\nwith a group of government critics and rights activists, and
\nvisited the National Commission on Human Rights, a government-
\nsponsored body respected for its independent work.<\/p>\n
"Cook revealed to us that public opinion there has prompted
\nhis government to review its policies on arms sales," said
\nMarzuki Darusman, vice chairman of the Commission, after the
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
Cook underlined Britain's full support for the third meeting
\nof the All-Inclusive Intra East Timor Dialog to be held in the
\nnear future in Austria, as a part of efforts to find a just
\nsolution on the Indonesia's youngest province.<\/p>\n
The foreign minister's six-point proposal presented to Alatas
\nincluded practical support for the work of non-government
\norganizations on human rights and scholarships for Indonesians to
\ncontinue their human rights studies.<\/p>\n
Source<\/p>\n
Britain is one of Indonesia's biggest sources of weapons. In
\n1996 about half of the UK's exports to Jakarta, worth of US$1.3
\nbillion, were defense sales.<\/p>\n
The country, however, exempted from its new arms sales policy
\nthe contracts for 16 Hawk jet fighters and light tanks,
\nrespectively worth US$256 million and $240 million, made by the
\nprevious Conservative government.<\/p>\n
"We repeated our general position ... Indonesia cannot accept
\nif arms sales or arms exports or trade ... are linked to such
\nissues as human rights as a conditionality," Alatas said in his
\npress conference.<\/p>\n
He remarked that East Timor has already enjoyed autonomy.<\/p>\n
"We are always willing to look even further for whatever we
\ncan do to give even greater autonomy to East Timor," he said. He
\nadded, however, that the government could not accept the idea of
\na special autonomous status for the province.<\/p>\n
About his meeting with Cook, Alatas said: "I think we had very
\ngood talks and I think he made an explicit point that he did not
\nbelieve that lecturing was something that would be productive in
\ndiscussing human rights".<\/p>\n
On Cook's proposal that a delegation of European ambassadors
\nbased here visit Dili, Alatas noted that the government has
\nalways allowed them to go there anytime.<\/p>\n
The two ministers also agreed to boost bilateral relations
\nbetween the two countries and strengthen efforts to protect the
\nenvironment. (prb\/aan)<\/p>\n
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