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.