EU dodges East Timor issue in talks<\/p>\n
By Medyatama Suryodiningrat<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (JP): The European Union yesterday skirted the issue
\nof East Timor during a dialog with their ASEAN counterparts,
\ndespite initially expressing a determination to press the issue
\nduring the meeting.<\/p>\n
At the end of the first day of the 12th dialog meeting between
\nthe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the EU
\nhere yesterday, Indonesia expressed satisfaction only a fleeting
\nreference to East Timor was made.<\/p>\n
The 15 European foreign ministers and their seven ASEAN
\ncounterparts agreed East Timor would only be mentioned by the EU
\npresident, Dutch foreign minister Hans van Mierlo, and briefly
\nreplied by the ASEAN co-chair of the meeting, Singapore's Foreign
\nMinister S. Jayakumar.<\/p>\n
At the end of yesterday's meeting, Indonesian Foreign Minister
\nAli Alatas expressed satisfaction at proceedings.<\/p>\n
\"We are satisfied with the arrangement because East Timor was
\nnot included in the agenda, was not discussed at all and there
\nwas only a short reference in the EU president's speech, and that
\nwas only one or two sentences,\" Alatas said.<\/p>\n
Alatas' account of the proceedings was separately confirmed by
\nMalaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Badawi: \"No, it was not
\ndiscussed,\" Badawi said. \"There was only a brief reference.\"<\/p>\n
Earlier yesterday Alatas told journalists here Portugal was
\nblocking a new treaty between Europe and Southeast Asia over the
\nissue of East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"(East Timor) was one of the issues used by Portugal to
\nprevent a new-generation agreement to be signed by the two sides
\nand of course we deeply regret it,\" Alatas said.<\/p>\n
\"Right now, we're cooperating on the basis of the old
\nagreement with some modifications,\" he said, adding Indonesia was
\nwilling to discuss the East Timor issue with Portugal at the
\nappropriate forum.<\/p>\n
There had been wide speculation the issue of East Timor and
\nMyanmar would peeve the two-day dialog meeting.<\/p>\n
Some EU members before the meeting appeared poised to confront
\nASEAN on the issue.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, with the backing of other ASEAN members, was
\nadamant the ASEAN-EU dialog was not the appropriate forum to
\ndiscuss a bilateral issue such as East Timor.<\/p>\n
ASEAN would like the discussions to focus on enhancing
\neconomic and cultural relations.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia always says that it (East Timor) should not be on
\nthe agenda, not be discussed (in the ASEAN-EU dialog),\" Alatas
\nsaid yesterday.<\/p>\n
He added he had no plans to meet with his Portuguese
\ncounterpart while in Singapore.<\/p>\n
The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated as
\npart of Indonesia in 1976. However no EU country has recognized
\nthe integration.<\/p>\n
The EU comprises Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Finland,
\nFrance, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the
\nNetherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.<\/p>\n
ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
\nSingapore, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Separately Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama remained
\nupbeat after the meeting yesterday and appeared satisfied the
\nissue was still touched upon, albeit briefly.<\/p>\n
\"No issue can be denied the right to be referred in a proper
\nmanner and the European Union could not accept the pressure for
\nnot raising it,\" Gama said referring to ASEAN's warnings not to
\nbring up the issue.<\/p>\n
Aside from East Timor, the sensitive issue of Myanmar was also
\nraised by the EU but in the casual setting of a working lunch.<\/p>\n
Badawi said the lunch time discussion \"gave the EU a better
\nunderstanding of how we see Myanmar.\"<\/p>\n
He argued differences on the issue centered around how the
\nrespective groupings approached the issue, not a question of
\nhuman rights.<\/p>\n
The EU has reproached Yangon for its human rights record and
\nadvocates a policy of isolation against the ruling junta. ASEAN
\nhowever pursues a policy of constructive engagement with Myanmar,
\na prospective member of the association.<\/p>\n
In an opening reply the EU president Hans van Mierlo also said
\nthat despite disagreements the maturity of the relationship
\nallowed them to be discussed openly and in the spirit of
\nsearching a compromise.<\/p>\n
The dialog meeting between the two-regional groupings will end
\nlater today with a joint declaration which ministers hope can
\nchart a new partnership between Europe and ASEAN.<\/p>\n
Economic ties -- Page 12<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/eu-dodges-east-timor-issue-in-talks-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }