UN vows to accelerate E. Timor settlement<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
\npledged yesterday to accelerate his efforts to help Indonesia and
\nPortugal settle the East Timor issue.<\/p>\n
In a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas in
\nKuala Lumpur yesterday, Annan also promised to find the best way
\nto develop a better understanding between Jakarta and Lisbon on
\nthe issue.<\/p>\n
\"In the near future, the secretary-general will take (some
\nmeasures) to encourage more progress on East Timor,\" Antara
\nquoted the ministry of foreign affairs' director general of
\npolitical affairs Nugroho Wisnumurti as saying yesterday.<\/p>\n
Annan is on a four-day visit to Kuala Lumpur to attend the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) informal summit.
\nHe had been scheduled to meet with President Soeharto there.<\/p>\n
Alatas represented Soeharto in the meeting. Soeharto had to
\ncancel his plan to attend the summit last week after the
\npresidential doctor team advised him not to make the long trip.<\/p>\n
ASEAN comprises Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the
\nPhilippines, Singapore, Brunei, Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos.<\/p>\n
\"Annan also briefed the minister about his recent meeting with
\nPortugal's President Jorge Sampaio in Venezuela,\" Nugroho said
\nafter accompanying Alatas in the 25-minute talks.<\/p>\n
After taking office in January, Annan has initiated three
\nrounds of new styled tripartite talks between Indonesia and
\nPortugal.<\/p>\n
Indonesia was represented by Nugroho, while Portugal was
\nrepresented by Fernando Neves, and Annan was represented by UN
\nspecial representative Jamsheed Marker.<\/p>\n
Alatas had previously disclosed that \"not much progress\" had
\nbeen achieved in the meetings.<\/p>\n
During the meeting, Alatas told Annan that his government can
\nnot release jailed East Timorese separatist rebel Jose Alexandre
\n\"Xanana\" Gusmao, as South Africa's President Nelson Mandela had
\nsuggested.<\/p>\n
Xanana is serving a reduced 20-year sentence in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"The release of Xanana can only be considered by the President
\nif it becomes a part of a package for a comprehensive solution on
\nEast Timor,\" Nugroho said.<\/p>\n
Soeharto discussed East Timor's problems with Mandela during
\nhis visit to Cape Town, South Africa last month.<\/p>\n
Soeharto allowed Mandela to meet with Xanana during Mandela's
\nstate visit here in July.<\/p>\n
\"Alatas also expressed hope that the tripartite talks between
\nPortugal and Indonesia will reach progress, which depends more on
\nPortugal's attitude,\" Nugroho said. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/un-vows-to-accelerate-e-timor-settlement-1447893297",
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