Aceh rebels, govt narrow differences
Tiarma Siboro and Rendi Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The fourth round of talks between the Indonesian government and Aceh rebels wound up on Tuesday, but failed to agree on the establishment of local political parties and the administering of local elections immediately after any peace deal is signed.
A senior political official with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), Mohammad Nur Djuli, expected Jakarta to consider the two thorny issues raised by the rebel group.
"During the meeting, Indonesian delegates rejected our proposal on establishment of local political parties, which we think is valid because it is regulated in a Qanun (bylaw)," Nur Djuli told The Jakarta Post from Helsinki.
The Aceh provincial administration is authorized to pass Qanun following the endorsement of the special autonomy law for the natural resource-rich province.
"We also want the Indonesian government to allow the Acehnese to administer a fair election to select people who will sit in the local legislative and executive bodies once the peace agreement is signed -- hopefully in August," he added.
Indonesian negotiators could not accept this proposal, given that the term of office of current legislative members in Aceh will end in 2009.
The government has set an October deadline for first ever direct regional elections for governor and regents in Aceh, despite the fact that the Dec. 26 tsunami devastated nearly one third of the province.
The six-day talks in Helsinki also discussed the issues of self-government, amnesty and reintegration to society, human rights and justice, the economy, and security arrangements.
Both parties also agreed to the involvement of the EU Council Secretariat and European Commission in monitoring any arrangements.
"As a consequence of the negotiations, CMI has been asked to prepare basic documents that could form the basis for the eventual agreement. These documents will be under discussion at the next round of talks starting on July 12," said President Martti Ahtisaari who heads the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI) which mediated the talks.
The documents would form a basis of discussion for those talks, which officials hope could reach a deal to end one of Asia's longest-running conflicts, which has left more than 12,000 people dead over three decades.
Ahtisaari said he was optimistic that a deal could be reached between the Indonesian government and GAM.
"If I didn't believe there was a chance to find a negotiated settlement I would blow the whistle immediately," he said.
"I think we have reached a stage where we can talk through the most difficult issues, which is the only way we can reach a deal."
In Jakarta, Vice President Jusuf Kalla praised the results of the meeting, which he said managed to agree on 90 percent of the crucial issues.
"We are on the right track during the meeting. (The talks) have been very positive and progressive. All crucial points on the amnesty as well as on the political and economic system have been agreed to by both parties," Kalla told the press conference.
Regarding a demand by GAM leaders for Aceh to have its own passport and flag, Kalla said that these issues were no longer on the negotiating table.
"We have not yet agreed on the establishment of (local) political parties, or of elections," Kalla said.
Indonesian chief negotiator, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin, is likely to extend his stay in Helsinki for two days to draft the agreement that will be studied by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Kalla added that Indonesia expected a greater role for the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in supervising the implementation of the peace agreement in the field, while "the European Union would only be an observer to the peace talks and process."