Lisbon, Jakarta agree to continue Timor talks<\/p>\n
UNITED NATIONS (AP): Portugal and Indonesia agreed Friday to
\ncontinue talks next month at the "senior official" level in hopes
\nof building momentum to resolve the 22-year dispute over East
\nTimor.<\/p>\n
The decision was announced at the end of two days of talks by
\nthe foreign ministers of Portugal and Indonesia, the first under
\nUN auspices since Kofi Annan became secretary-general last
\nJanuary.<\/p>\n
UN special envoy Jamsheed Marker of Pakistan told reporters
\nthe two sides agreed to resume talks at a "working level" July
\n28. He also said the two would push for separate discussions
\namong various East Timorese factions in August.<\/p>\n
Marker refused to say whether the United Nations had offered
\nconcrete proposals. Marker said both sides "maintained their
\npositions" during the two-day session. But both sides expressed
\nsatisfaction with the course of the latest contacts.<\/p>\n
Before the talks began Thursday, UN officials said such an
\nagreement to continue the discussions at a "senior official
\nlevel" would be the best, most realistic outcome expected from
\nthe talks.<\/p>\n
"We found the discussions very productive," Indonesian Foreign
\nMinister Ali Alatas said. "They were very productive, they were
\nheld in a good atmosphere, and we hope the groundwork now has
\nbeen laid for intensive discussions at the senior official level
\nto find a just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable
\nsolution."<\/p>\n
Portuguese Foreign Minister Jamie Gama said he was pleased
\nthat the Indonesians had agreed to another round of the "All-
\nInclusive Intra-East Timorese Talks" as soon as possible. Austria
\nhas offered to host them.<\/p>\n
"We hope through this new engagement of the United Nations we
\ncan now ...come to progressive steps in order to get a solution
\nor possible solutions and that taking account the interests of
\nthe East Timorese can be accommodated," Gama said.<\/p>\n
Gama said the July talks would include such issues as human
\nrights and "all the matters relating to the territory in a broad
\npoint of view."<\/p>\n
"Nothing is excluded," Gama added.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lisbon-jakarta-agree-to-continue-timor-talks-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }