Nelson Mandela calls for Xanana's release<\/p>\n
PRETORIA, South Africa (Agencies): South African President
\nNelson Mandela called on Indonesia to free jailed East Timorese
\nrebel leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao.<\/p>\n
After holding talks on East Timor with Portuguese President
\nJorge Sampaio, Mandela told reporters yesterday he had
\nrecommended Xanana's release in a letter to President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
"We can never normalize the situation in East Timor unless all
\npolitical leaders, including Mr. Gusmao, are free," Mandela said.
\n"They are the ones who must bring about a solution."<\/p>\n
Mandela met with Xanana, who is serving a 20-year jail term
\nfor leading an armed rebellion, at Jakarta's state guesthouse on
\nJuly 15.<\/p>\n
Mandela said the discussions he had in Jakarta with Soeharto
\nwere very fruitful and constructive.<\/p>\n
"I had the impression he gave a sympathetic view."<\/p>\n
His statement came hours after a senior Indonesian official
\ndenied an earlier Portuguese press report that Mandela had asked
\nfor Xanana's release during the meeting with Soeharto in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"Mandela has never asked, directly or indirectly, for Xanana's
\nrelease during his visit here," Minister\/State Secretary
\nMoerdiono told reporters in Jakarta yesterday.<\/p>\n
Officials were unavailable last night to confirm whether
\nMandela's letter had been received or to comment on the report.<\/p>\n
But Fransisco Xavier Lopez da Cruz, a senior East Timorese
\npolitician and a staunch supporter of integration with Indonesia,
\nhad earlier underscored the fact that Xanana was convicted under
\nthe criminal law.<\/p>\n
A call for his release, Lopez pointed out, was tantamount to
\ncalling for the release of all criminals.<\/p>\n
Mandela's talks with Sampaio yesterday were the latest in his
\ninitiative, which began this month, to help find a solution to
\nthe East Timor question.<\/p>\n
During his visit to Jakarta two weeks ago, Mandela met with
\nSoeharto, Xanana and Lopez. Last week, he met with Jose Ramos
\nHorta, the self-exiled spokesman of the East Timor armed
\nseparatist movement, in Pretoria.<\/p>\n
Mandela has also said that he was inviting Dili Bishop Carlos
\nFelipe Ximenes Belo to Pretoria.<\/p>\n
Belo has not said whether he would go or not but told Antara
\nyesterday that he had not received an invitation.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono said yesterday that President Soeharto deeply
\nrespected Mandela's statesmanship and believed that his
\ncontribution to efforts at an international settlement would be
\nvery helpful.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono recalled that Soeharto immediately agreed to
\nMandela's request to meet with Xanana in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"President Soeharto interpreted Mandela's request as an offer
\nto assist in finding a solution to East Timor's international
\nstatus," Moerdiono said at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
Separately yesterday, Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs
\nsaid Mandela was acting in his private capacity as a great
\nstatesman in launching his East Timor initiative.<\/p>\n
Mandela fully informed Soeharto of every step he was taking
\nregarding East Timor, Alatas said.<\/p>\n
"I just want to assist the process of negotiation ... and I do
\nnot intend to take over the process," Alatas quoted Mandela as
\ntelling Soeharto in their meeting.<\/p>\n
Mandela has repeatedly said that his intention was to help,
\nnot undermine, the ongoing dialog between Indonesia and Portugal
\nheld under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General,
\nto settle the East Timor question.<\/p>\n
East Timor integrated into Indonesia in 1976, a move which has
\nnot been recognized by the world body. The United Nations still
\nregards Portugal as the administrating power.<\/p>\n
In the ninth round of the UN-sponsored dialog in New York last
\nmonth, the foreign ministers of Indonesia and Portugal agreed to
\ninitiate a lower-level official meeting to discuss specific
\ndetails on bridging their differences.<\/p>\n
The first meeting is slated for August. (06\/10\/emb)<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nelson-mandela-calls-for-xananas-release-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }