Waves of asylum bids won't affect talks<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas yesterday
\nsaid that the recent wave of requests for asylum by East Timorese
\nyouths would not derail the on-going United Nations sponsored
\ntalks between Jakarta and Lisbon.<\/p>\n
Alatas however said the climate of the talks would be affected
\nsince, as mutually agreed, all sides were supposed to refrain
\nfrom creating situations which might disrupt the talks.<\/p>\n
\"How can it be said that they are restraining themselves when
\nthey keep holding demonstrations, burning the Indonesian flag,
\nand have recently started entering foreign embassies here,\"
\nAlatas said.<\/p>\n
He added that this was a clear and planned attempt to disrupt
\nthe situation here. As a consequence, Alatas said, \"Obviously it
\nwill effect the atmosphere of the talks. Obviously.\"<\/p>\n
The minister last week blamed East Timorese rebel leaders in
\nexile for encouraging the East Timorese youths to apply for
\nasylum at foreign embassies in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Alatas described the recent flood of asylum seekers in the
\nlast fortnight as \"a joke, but not a funny joke.\"<\/p>\n
He said the asylum seekers were lured by the vision of a free
\nticket to Portugal and said the only motivation for these acts is
\nto score public relations points.<\/p>\n
When asked whether he thought this pattern would continue,
\nAlatas said he did not know, but that sooner or later \"the
\nforeign embassies themselves would feel the burden of accepting
\nthem.\"<\/p>\n
Under the auspices of the UN Secretary General, the Indonesian
\nand Portuguese foreign minister have engaged in discussions aimed
\nat finding an internationally acceptable solution to the problem.<\/p>\n
The next meeting is scheduled for January.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year pro- and anti-integrationists Timorese also
\nheld a dialog to help create a more congenial climate for the
\nministerial talks.<\/p>\n
Alatas maintained that those seeking asylum have always been
\nfree to leave, and that they have never been persecuted by the
\ngovernment. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/waves-of-asylum-bids-wont-affect-talks-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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