U.S., donors call on RI to pursue peace in Aceh<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
United States President George W. Bush welcomed on Thursday a
\ndecision by the Indonesian government and Aceh separatist rebels
\nto hold weekend talks in Tokyo in a last-ditch effort to save
\ntheir peace pact.<\/p>\n
\"The United States strongly supports efforts to pursue a
\nnegotiated peace in Aceh within the framework of a unified
\nIndonesia,\" Bush said in a statement released by the White House.<\/p>\n
\"I commend (Indonesian) President Megawati (Soekarnoputri) for
\ndemonstrating her government's commitment to the Aceh peace
\nprocess and for her willingness to go the extra mile in pursuit
\nof peace.\"<\/p>\n
The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) said their exiled top leader,
\nHasan Tiro, would leave Sweden for Tokyo to monitor the talks but
\nwould not attend the meeting, AFP reported.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri delayed on Thursday the
\nimposition of martial law in Aceh, which would allow the military
\nto launch an operation to crack down on the rebels, to give GAM
\nanother chance to return to the negotiating table in Tokyo.<\/p>\n
The government had set a May 12 deadline for the rebels to
\nresume talks under the preconditions of their acceptance of the
\nunitary state of Indonesia and disarmament. GAM said it would
\naccept dialog only after the deadline passed.<\/p>\n
Indonesian officials said preparations for a military
\noperation in the natural resource-rich province, which would
\ninvolve between 40,000 and 50,000 troops, would continue. It
\nwould be the largest deployment of troops ever in Indonesia's
\nhistory.<\/p>\n
\"I call on the leadership of GAM to renew its commitment to a
\npeaceful solution in Aceh and for both sides to pursue good faith
\nimplementation of the December 2002 Cessation of Hostilities
\nAgreement,\" Bush said, referring to the peace agreement signed by
\nJakarta and GAM on Dec. 9 last year in Geneva.<\/p>\n
International donors grouped in the Tokyo Preparatory
\nConference on Peace and Reconstruction in Aceh have kept up the
\npressure on both Indonesia and GAM to avert a breakdown of the
\npeace process in the province.<\/p>\n
The group, comprising the European Union, Japan, the U.S. and
\nthe World Bank, called for the continuing commitment of Jakarta
\nto solve the question of Aceh through dialog.<\/p>\n
\"We call on the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh
\nMovement to make every possible effort to revive dialog and
\nrestore peace. To that end, we call on the two sides to hold a
\nJoint Council meeting, as provided under the terms of the
\nCessation of Hostilities Agreement, or an informal session to
\nprepare for a Joint Council meeting, in Tokyo as soon as
\npossible,\" the donors said in a statement on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The donors hope the two sides at the meeting reach a consensus
\nto revive the agreement and return Aceh to a state of peace based
\non special autonomy.<\/p>\n
The donors added that they remain willing to continue to
\nsupport the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and to provide
\nassistance for the future reconstruction of Aceh if peace
\nprevails.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-donors-call-on-ri-to-pursue-peace-in-aceh-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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