Annan welcomes release of East Timor prisoners
Annan welcomes release of East Timor prisoners
UNITED NATIONS (Agencies): United Nations Secretary-General
Kofi Annan welcomed news Wednesday that President B.J. Habibie
had signed a decree for the release of 15 East Timorese political
prisoners and said he hoped this would lead to the freeing of all
others.
"The secretary-general welcomes the news that President
Habibie has signed a decree for the release of 15 East Timorese
prisoners and hopes that this will lead to the freedom of all
other East Timorese political prisoners," the United Nations said
in a statement.
"He is also encouraged by the beginning of what he hopes will
be a sustained dialog toward the resolution of the question of
East Timor and by the diversity of views being expressed in the
context of the ongoing political reform taking place in
Indonesia," the statement said.
Habibie took over last month from former president Soeharto,
who was driven from office by the economic crisis, protests and
riots which turned the ruling elite against him after 32 years in
power.
Indonesia incorporated East Timor as its 27th province.
However, the United Nations has never recognized it and has for
years sponsored talks with Indonesian and Portuguese
representatives to find an internationally acceptable solution to
the issue.
Annan recalled this in his statement, saying he was "actively
engaged in discussions with the Indonesian and Portuguese
authorities as well as various East Timorese representatives in
the search for an early settlement of the problem based on a
just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable formula."
"The secretary-general will continue to remain actively
engaged on the issue of East Timor," the statement added.
The list of the Timorese released does not include jailed
separatist leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao. Indonesia
regards him as a criminal who committed violent acts in his fight
against Indonesian rule. He is currently serving a 20-year prison
term in Jakarta's Cipinang Prison.