Assets, border issues await RI's envoy to E. Timor

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta

Newly installed Ambassador Ahmed Bey Sofwan said assets, reconciliation and border issues would be high on his agenda as the country's first envoy to East Timor.

"I would like to focus on reconciliation between East Timorese living in that country and those who still live in West Timor," Ahmed said after his installment ceremony on Thursday.

Over 20,000 East Timorese, mostly former pro-Jakarta militia members and their families, live in refugee camps in West Timor. They are reluctant to return to East Timor for fear that they will be prosecuted for rights abuses committed in 1999.

Ahmed, a former high-ranking official at the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), was installed on Thursday along with seven other new envoys, including politician Jacob Tobing, who was appointed ambassador to South Korea, and Makarim Wibisono, who will serve as the permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

"I do not think my previous position in BIN has anything to do with this appointment. Working in BIN does not necessarily mean that I am a spy like James Bond," said Ahmed.

Ahmed's appointment comes some 18 months after East Timor sent Rev. Arlindo Marcal to Jakarta as its first ambassador to Indonesia.

"The installment of the Indonesian ambassador will definitely support the ongoing negotiations between the two countries on various residual issues," Marcal told The Jakarta Post.

He said his office was currently collecting data on 6,000 asset claims in East Timor by Indonesians.

"Only after the Indonesian government completes the data will we send the cases to Dili for verification and further processing," the ambassador said.

Jakarta and Dili have met twice to discuss, among other issues, Indonesian assets in East Timor and have agreed to set up a subcommittee to deal with asset claims. The subcommittee, however, has yet to be formed.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said that with the appointment of Ahmed as Indonesia's ambassador to East Timor, the ongoing negotiations on land borders and assets could move forward.

"We have to conclude discussions on about 10 percent of land border issues before we can open new negotiations on maritime borders. The border issues will be the main duty of the envoy," Hassan said.

He said the decision to appoint Ahmed as Indonesia's ambassador to East Timor had nothing to do with his position as a senior intelligence officer, but rather his capabilities and qualifications.

Ahmed served as deputy head of Indonesia's Trade Office in Taipei before joining BIN.

List of envoys installed Thursday. ----------------------------------------------------------------

Name Country ----------------------------------------------------------------- Makarim Wibisono Permanent Representative to UN Geneva Ahmed Bey Sofwan East Timor Nurrachman Oerip Cambodia Hertomo Reksodiputro Tunisia Nuni Turniati Joko Romania Jacob Tobing South Korea Warmas Hassan Saputra Bangladesh Hupudiro Supardi Zimbabwe ----------------------------------------------------------------