Indonesia asks Colombia for help on E. Timor issue<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia asked Colombia yesterday to persuade
\nother Latin American countries to remove East Timor from the
\nagenda of the IBOR-American conference in Chile next month.<\/p>\n
Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono said Indonesia's objection
\nto discussions about East Timor was raised by President Soeharto
\nin his meeting with visiting Colombian President Ernesto Samper.<\/p>\n
\"There are strong indications that Portugal will raise issue
\nof East Timor in the forum,\" Moerdiono said.<\/p>\n
The IBOR-American conference brings together Spanish and
\nPortuguese speaking nations.<\/p>\n
Portugal was the colonial administrator of East Timor until
\nthe territory joined Indonesia in 1976, following a bloody civil
\nwar triggered by the abrupt withdrawal of the Portuguese in 1975.<\/p>\n
The UN still recognizes Portugal as administrator of East
\nTimor.<\/p>\n
Lisbon has been pressing for a United Nations-sponsored
\nreferendum on the future of East Timor to be held in the
\nterritory, while Jakarta insists the territory's integration into
\nIndonesia is \"final and no problem\".<\/p>\n
Moerdiono said President Soeharto told Samper that Indonesia
\nand Portugal already have appropriate forums for discussions on
\nthe East Timor issue.<\/p>\n
\"Colombia agreed to seriously consider Indonesia's appeal,\"
\nMoerdiono said after the two-hour meeting of the two presidents.<\/p>\n
Indonesian and Portuguese foreign ministers have held meetings
\nunder the auspices of the UN but there has been no resolution to
\nthe dispute.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono said that Portugal means to use the IBOR-American
\nforum to seek support for its stand the East Timor issue.<\/p>\n
The upcoming conference in Singapore of trade ministers from
\nWorld Trade Organization member countries in December was also a
\nfocus of the Soeharto-Samper talks.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, Moerdiono said, reiterated its rejection of the
\nindustrialized countries' plan to link international trade
\nagreements with non-trade issues, such as human rights, labor and
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
\"There is every indication that industrialized countries will
\nbring the issue to the WTO meeting in Singapore,\" Moerdiono said.<\/p>\n
According to Moerdiono, the Colombian President shared
\nIndonesia's view.<\/p>\n
Colombia and Indonesia agreed to boost trade and economic
\nties. Their two-way trade is estimated at only US$20 million a
\nyear.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia enjoys the surplus but the trade base is very
\nweak,\" Moerdiono said.<\/p>\n
The two governments agreed to encourage their businesses to
\ninvest in each other's country. Indonesia will consider importing
\nleather and selling helicopters to Colombia.<\/p>\n
Presidents Samper and Soeharto had comprehensive talks on
\nstrategies for developing the 118-member Non-Aligned Movement.
\nSamper replaced Soeharto as the movement's chairman earlier this
\nyear.<\/p>\n
The movement, which groups poor and developing countries,
\nintends to boost its relations with the Group of 7 industrialized
\nnations (G-7) currently headed by France.<\/p>\n
Samper met with G-7 leaders in France last August in which
\nthey agreed to hold a series of ministerial meetings in New York,
\nMoerdiono said.<\/p>\n
Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Emma Mejia and Indonesian
\ncounterpart Ali Alatas are scheduled to meet G-7 leaders in Paris
\nto discuss developing countries' debt, he said.<\/p>\n
President Samper left Jakarta for Seoul yesterday. (pan)<\/p>\n
Photo -- Page 11<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-asks-colombia-for-help-on-e-timor-issue-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }