Ministerial delegation to visit East Timor<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In a sign of good will to build a good relationship with the new
\nstate of East Timor, a high-powered delegation is leaving for
\nDili on Friday to discuss various bilateral issues.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said after a meeting
\nwith Vice President Hamzah Haz on Thursday that he would lead a
\nteam of six ministers for a one-day working visit to the
\ncountry's former province.<\/p>\n
\"The visit is an expression of the Indonesian government's
\ngood will to maintain a good relationship with East Timor,\" Hari
\nsaid during a press briefing.<\/p>\n
The visit may be viewed as another expression of defiance by
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri against the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) which has planned to summon her for
\nparticipating in East Timor's independence celebration on May 20.<\/p>\n
Other ministers who will visit East Timor on Saturday are
\nMinister of National Education Abdul Malik Fajar, Minister of
\nIndustry and Trade Rini Soewandi, Minister of Energy and Mineral
\nResources Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Minister of Transportation Agum
\nGumelar and Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah.<\/p>\n
The delegation will hold a meeting with East Timor President
\nXanana Gusmao, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri and other ministers.<\/p>\n
According to Hari, the visit would focus on economic relations
\nbetween the two countries as Indonesia was planning to take the
\nlead in trade and other economic sectors in the former Portuguese
\ncolony.<\/p>\n
The ambitious efforts seem natural as East Timor is surrounded
\nby Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Minister Purnomo said Indonesia had electricity and fuel
\ninstallations in East Timor which would facilitate the possible
\nsale of energy there.<\/p>\n
\"We can put to maximum use the installations by selling energy
\nand fuel to East Timor,\" Purnomo said, adding that his department
\nwas still registering the number of installations still intact
\nthere.<\/p>\n
Minister Rini, meanwhile, said that Indonesia would try to
\nboost trade volume between the two countries which currently
\nstands at between US$3 million to US$5 million.<\/p>\n
\"We control mostly household products and we are aiming at
\nfurther cooperation in coffee trading,\" Rini said.<\/p>\n
The visit would also discuss lingering issues such as East
\nTimor refugees in makeshift camps in West Timor, borders, and
\nIndonesian assets in the territory.<\/p>\n
Asked if the visit would open new confrontation with the
\nHouse, Hari said there was no reason for another conflict as the
\nvisit was still within the constitutional mandate of keeping good
\nrelations with neighboring countries.<\/p>\n
\"The Vice President told us that we should not be too
\nemotional about the past,\" Hari said.<\/p>\n
East Timor was Indonesia's 27th province for more than two
\ndecades until 1999 when its population voted to breakaway from
\nthe country in a United Nations-organized referendum.<\/p>\n
Despite strong opposition from legislators, Megawati went to
\nEast Timor on May 19 to attend the country's declaration of
\nindependence early May 20.<\/p>\n
Some lawmakers submitted in May a petition to House leaders to
\nforce Megawati to explain her participation in East Timor's
\nindependence celebration.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ministerial-delegation-to-visit-east-timor-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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