Sat, 03 Jun 2000

Abdurrahman to visit Portugal

JAKARTA (JP): In a sign of improving relations between Jakarta and Lisbon, Portugal's visiting Foreign Minister Jaime Gama said on Friday that President Abdurrahman Wahid had agreed to visit the country later this year.

The visit is expected to occur in September.

"I have the honor to convey the Portuguese President's invitation to President Wahid to pay an official visit to Portugal this year ... and the invitation has been accepted," Gama told reporters after a 30-minute meeting with Abdurrahman at the presidential palace.

Gama said that the two countries, which froze relations when Indonesia integrated the former Portuguese colony of East Timor in 1976, had "a good prospect for bilateral relations".

"We want to make the East Timor issue no longer a matter of deep emotion but a matter of sound cooperation between Portugal and Indonesia," Gama said after meeting Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono.

"The remaining problems (concerning East Timor) must be solved and the international community must also help," he said referring to more than 100,000 East Timorese refugees who are still sheltering in West Timor since the Aug. 30 independence vote.

"I was referring to the problems of refugees and the remaining problem of disbanding the militia," he added, referring to pro- Jakarta East Timorese militia that went on a rampage of violence and destruction after the overwhelming vote for independence.

"I know that the Indonesian president and the government are dedicated to a correct solution and I very much hope it would be realized because it is essential.

"But I'm optimistic regarding a good relationship between Indonesia, an independent East Timor and Australia because good neighborly relations are essential for peace and stability in Asia," he said.

Gama added that Lisbon would soon appoint a defense attache for its embassy here "in order to contribute to a better understanding between our two armed forces".

Earlier on Friday, after what he described as "very good" talks with his counterpart Alwi Shihab, Gama said much work remained on such agreements as avoidance of double taxation and investment protection between Lisbon and Jakarta.

He added that he hoped the agreements, including one on cultural exchange, could be signed during Abdurrahman's visit to Portugal.

Gama also invited Alwi to a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg on June 14. Portugal currently holds the EU's rotating presidency. (byg/dja/prb)