Alatas says E. Timor dialog 'non-political'
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas warned yesterday that any attempt to discuss a political solution to the East Timor problem at the reconciliation dialog opening this weekend in Austria would fail.
"They can try but it won't succeed because it is a non- political meeting," Alatas said yesterday in response to questions that certain participants may bring up the issue of integration.
A five-day All-Inclusive Intra-East Timor Dialog (AETD) between pro- and anti-integration East Timorese is being held in the small town of Stadtschlaining, 100 kilometers from Vienna, Austria.
According to reports from Austria, the dialog, originally scheduled to begin yesterday, was postponed a day because a number of delegates arrived late.
The dialog is a follow up to a Jan. 9 meeting in Geneva between Alatas and his Portuguese counterpart Jose Manuel Durao Barosso. They agreed that a reconciliatory dialog between East Timorese on both sides of the integration debate should be held.
However it was established that the dialog would avoid discussing the political situation of the former Portuguese colony and thus not become a second track to find an internationally recognized solution to the issue of East Timor.
East Timor became Indonesia's 27th province in 1976. The United Nations, however, still considers Lisbon the island's administrative head.
"I will not be surprised if they try to do it in this meeting," said Alatas on the prospect of political issues being brought-up by anti-integrationists. "They can shout and scream all they want, but it will not work."
According to Alatas, the ground rules of the dialog have already been made clear. "Don't be influenced by their propaganda that they can use or alter it into something which profits them."
"Our people also know the rules," he said referring to the 16 East Timorese on the Indonesia side.
The Indonesian delegation, which includes Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, is being coordinated by senior Timorese politician Lopez da Cruz.
Fourteen exiled East Timorese, including Joao Viegas Carrascalao, Manuel Tilman, Abilio Araujo and Fretilin leader Ramos Horta, are taking part. They are from various separatist groups.
Meanwhile, Portuguese television reported that Horta was skeptical about the outcome of the dialog, saying that it was "practically condemned to failure".
He stated that by restricting talks on non-political issues, the dialog could not "address the fundamental question which is self-determination."
"We don't have many illusions about the success or not of the meeting," he remarked.
Earlier this week, Indonesia called 18 East Timorese boat people landing in Darwin, Australia claiming to be victims of torture an attempt to embarrass Jakarta ahead of the dialog.
A foreign ministry official said every time an important event for Indonesia is about to take place, something is staged to attract international attention and embarrass Indonesia.
Lopez expressed hope in a written statement released here yesterday that the dialog could contribute to the on-going talks between the Indonesian and Portuguese foreign ministers.
"AETD is an historical event for East Timor because it brings together East Timorese brothers from two-opposing sides," he said.
He explained that although the political status of East Timor will not be discussed, exiled East Timorese's participation in the social development of the province could be brought up.(mds)